China Herald: An outspoken internet generation

Tricia Wang

Despite ingenious internet censorship, China's internet users has always been able to circumvent those filters to a certain degree. Sociologist Tricia Wang see even a new group emerging, who is becoming more outspoken, under their own name, write Global Post.

The Global Post:

Ingenious users have continued to evade the censors by devising ever-new ways of referring to verboten subjects. On Wednesday, the phrase “big news” came to stand for the Bo Xilai murder mystery; previously the word “tomato” and “Chongqing hotpot” also served as code for the scandal.

Even now, the most politically outspoken users are continuing to post actively, even defiantly. Tricia Wang, a sociologist based in central China, explains for some users speaking publicly under their own name has always been part of the appeal.

"Those people say, 'I don’t like the policy of course, but it doesn’t bother me — I’m still going to use weibo.' It’s not like old China where people are going to disappear. This group of people say, 'Yeah it’s my real name, and yeah, I stand behind my forwards,'" she said.

More in the Global Post.

Tricia Wang is a speaker at the China Speakers Bureau. Do you need her at your meeting or conference? Do get in touch or fill in our speakers' request form.

More about Tricia Wang, exploring China's underbelly, at Storify.