Grassroots, astroturf, or something in between? Semi-official WeChat accounts as covert vectors of party-state influence in contemporary China

Neagli, Jackson

[journal article]

dc.contributor.author	Neagli, Jackson	de
dc.date.accessioned	2024-03-14T10:02:54Z
dc.date.available	2024-03-14T10:02:54Z
dc.date.issued	2021	de
dc.identifier.issn	1868-4874	de
dc.identifier.uri	https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/93031
dc.description.abstract	This article explores a facet of the Chinese propaganda apparatus that has yet to receive sufficient academic attention: the murky ecosystem of "semi-official" party-state presences on Chinese social media. With a particular focus on WeChat public accounts, this investigation responds to two critical research questions: first, what differentiates official party-state social media presences from semi-official presences, and second, what unique role do semi-official WeChat accounts play in the contemporary Chinese propaganda apparatus? This article samples content published by five dyads of official and semi-official WeChat public accounts during the first fifteen days of June 2019. The results of this comparative, case-study-based discourse analysis support two conclusions. First, semi-official WeChat accounts posture as independent from the party-state in order to attract large followings and gain credibility. Second, semi-official WeChat public accounts operate as "astroturfed influencers," enabling the Chinese propaganda apparatus to covertly manipulate online discourse with extraordinary efficiency.	de
dc.language	en	de
dc.subject.ddc	Publizistische Medien, Journalismus,Verlagswesen	de
dc.subject.ddc	News media, journalism, publishing	en
dc.subject.other	Manipulation von Meinung; Verhältnis Politik - Medien; WeChat	de
dc.title	Grassroots, astroturf, or something in between? Semi-official WeChat accounts as covert vectors of party-state influence in contemporary China	de
dc.description.review	begutachtet (peer reviewed)	de
dc.description.review	peer reviewed	en
dc.identifier.url	https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1868102621989717	de
dc.source.journal	Journal of Current Chinese Affairs
dc.source.volume	50	de
dc.publisher.country	GBR	de
dc.source.issue	2	de
dc.subject.classoz	Medienpolitik, Informationspolitik, Medienrecht	de
dc.subject.classoz	Media Politics, Information Politics, Media Law	en
dc.subject.classoz	interaktive, elektronische Medien	de
dc.subject.classoz	Interactive, electronic Media	en
dc.subject.thesoz	China	de
dc.subject.thesoz	China	en
dc.subject.thesoz	Soziale Medien	de
dc.subject.thesoz	social media	en
dc.subject.thesoz	Online-Medien	de
dc.subject.thesoz	online media	en
dc.subject.thesoz	Diskurs	de
dc.subject.thesoz	discourse	en
dc.subject.thesoz	Manipulation	de
dc.subject.thesoz	manipulation	en
dc.subject.thesoz	Propaganda	de
dc.subject.thesoz	propaganda	en
dc.subject.thesoz	Informationspolitik	de
dc.subject.thesoz	information policy	en
dc.subject.thesoz	Kommunikationspolitik	de
dc.subject.thesoz	communication policy	en
dc.rights.licence	Creative Commons - Namensnennung 4.0	de
dc.rights.licence	Creative Commons - Attribution 4.0	en
ssoar.contributor.institution	GIGA	de
internal.status	formal und inhaltlich fertig erschlossen	de
internal.identifier.thesoz	10040272
internal.identifier.thesoz	10094228
internal.identifier.thesoz	10064820
internal.identifier.thesoz	10041158
internal.identifier.thesoz	10051605
internal.identifier.thesoz	10034736
internal.identifier.thesoz	10047391
internal.identifier.thesoz	10049337
dc.type.stock	article	de
dc.type.document	Zeitschriftenartikel	de
dc.type.document	journal article	en
dc.source.pageinfo	180-208	de
internal.identifier.classoz	1080411
internal.identifier.classoz	1080404
internal.identifier.journal	192
internal.identifier.document	32
internal.identifier.ddc	070
dc.identifier.doi	https://doi.org/10.1177/1868102621989717	de
dc.description.pubstatus	Veröffentlichungsversion	de
dc.description.pubstatus	Published Version	en
internal.identifier.licence	16
internal.identifier.pubstatus	1
internal.identifier.review	1
internal.dda.reference	https://unapi.k10plus.de@@1780428855
ssoar.urn.registration	false	de

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Interaktive, elektronische Medien
Interactive, electronic Media
Medienpolitik, Informationspolitik, Medienrecht
Media Politics, Media Law

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