Beijing is restricting accounts that create content on social media about anxiety or apprehension about China’s economic and social situation.
The Chinese government has advanced a sweeping new campaign to reshape the country’s online climate that targets not only political dissent but also emotional expression itself.
In a two-month “cleanup” operation launched by the Cyberspace Administration of China in late September, censors are ordering social media platforms to remove content that spreads “overly pessimistic feelings” and that feed “defeatist” attitudes such as “hard work is useless” or provoke “social panic”.
The measure comes at a time when public morale is plummeting amid the economic slowdown, high unemployment among young people and disillusionment with promises of prosperity. State broadcaster CCTV justified the crackdown by warning that the internet “is not a storehouse of negativity“, arguing that fatigue and anxiety “should not be amplified” in the name of engagement.
In recent weeks, several prominent internet figures have been punished. According to , two popular bloggers who promoted minimalist lifestyles and “” — rejecting overwork and material pressure — were prevented from gaining followers.
Another influencer who said marriage and children made little financial sense was banned, while Hu Chenfeng, a car mechanic turned social commentator highlighting inequality, had his accounts deleted after being accused of “worshipping the West”.
Authorities are also policing the way citizens discuss current events. The local governments of Zhengzhou and Xi’an announced penalties for users who “spread false information” about local economies and property prices.
On Weibo, more than 1200 accounts were suspended due to “rumors” about social assistance programs or the economy, while more than 1500 users were banned for speculating about the recent death of actor Yu Menglong, whose fall from a building in Beijing raised suspicions.
Authorities insist the campaign aims to reduce misinformation and harmful content, similar to Western debates about the toxicity of social media. But observers see deeper political motivations. “The leadership fears that the generalized anxiety can be contagious“, said David Bandurski, director of the China Media Project.
State media attempted to recast the campaign as a moral crusade against “emotional predators” who profit from despair, accusing them of portray China as a joyless country. However, analysts say the effort may only silence genuine frustration. “The official message of positivity collides with a harsh economic reality,” said Katja Drinhausen of the Mercator Institute for China Studies. “Censorship cannot fix this.”
The government’s struggle to control the national mood reflects the country’s economic problems. Unemployment among young people remains high, with a record 12.2 million graduates entering a slow job market this year. Wages have stagnated, property prices continue to fall, and even new policies such as household subsidies and consumer goods exchange programs have done little to boost confidence.
Beijing is also tightening control over technology companies themselves. The internet regulatory body recently summoned the executives of large platforms, warning them to curb negative content. The Communist Party’s official newspaper, the People’s Daily, classified the operation as a call to arms: “The buzzer has sounded — all parties must act“.
