Civic Action and Media Perceptions within the Wall: The (Re) Negotiation of Power in China

Authors

  • Natalie Pang Nanyang Technological University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29379/jedem.v5i1.187

Keywords:

China, civic participation, social media, trust

Abstract

Little has been known about China’s policing of the Internet until recently, when researchers began publishing insights on the types of messages that gets deleted and permitted on various social media platforms, as well as whether or not such moderations are performed automatically. Many discussions have focused on how such efforts may undermine the democratic potential and civic actions that may be empowered and facilitated by the Internet. Two cases discussed in this paper show a different picture: the aftermath of a train collision in Wenzhou in 2011, and an elaborate plan by a company to take out its competition – both utilizing social media. Structuration theory is used to analyse the types of agency, structures, and power negotiations that can be observed in both cases. The paper then reports a survey carried out with 499 participants on their perceptions of both cases, focusing on how trust propensity and types of information may shape their perceptions of media credibility. Results show that trust propensity was only significant in shaping perceptions of credibility for social media, but the types of information is significant in shaping perceptions of credibility for both mainstream and social media. Implications are drawn for media literacy as well as how civic actions function within China.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biography

Natalie Pang, Nanyang Technological University

Assistant Professor, Division of Information Studies

Downloads

Published

16.09.2013

How to Cite

Pang, N. (2013). Civic Action and Media Perceptions within the Wall: The (Re) Negotiation of Power in China. JeDEM - EJournal of EDemocracy and Open Government, 5(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.29379/jedem.v5i1.187

Issue

Section

Special Issue: Research Papers

Most read articles by the same author(s)