Online Pessimism Challenges China’s “Positive Energy” Internet Policy
AI-generated context summary requested by a Free News Reader user. Sourced via Gemini from publicly available information — no paywalled content was accessed.
You hit a paywall. Here’s the context on this topic based on publicly available information. We did not access any paywalled content. View original article.
Online Pessimism Challenges China's "Positive Energy" Internet Policy
- Chinese authorities have escalated efforts to suppress "negative energy" online, with a two-month campaign launched in late September 2025 to curb pessimistic content.
- This crackdown follows years of the Chinese Communist Party promoting "positive energy," a term popularized by President Xi Jinping in 2012, to encourage uplifting messages and content favorable to the government.
Full Summary — powered by AI
Chinese social media platforms are experiencing a notable shift in mood, moving away from the “positive energy” narrative that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has sought to cultivate for years. This push for positivity, which broadly refers to uplifting messages and content that portrays the Party and government favorably, gained significant traction under President Xi Jinping, particularly after 2012. However, recent trends indicate a rise in pessimistic and critical content circulating online.
In response to this shift, China’s internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), initiated a two-month nationwide campaign in late September 2025. The campaign’s objective is to tackle online content that promotes hostile sentiments or “excessively pessimistic” views, including discussions about a slowing economy or the futility of hard work. This initiative also targets content that “sells anxiety,” spreads rumors, or distorts narratives.
Platforms such as Weibo, Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok), Xiaohongshu, and Kuaishou are under pressure to monitor and remove content deemed pessimistic, anxious, or divisive. Influencers who have expressed negative sentiments, for instance, about burnout, financial struggles, or not wanting children, have faced account suspensions or bans. The government views the internet not as a “dumping ground for negativity” but as a space for positive propaganda and fostering a “vigorous and healthy, upward and benevolent online culture.” This intensified censorship reflects growing government concern over public disillusionment, particularly among youth facing issues like high unemployment.