China Launches Anti-Negativity Campaign Against Online Influencers and TrollsCEFR B1
6 Oct 2025
Adapted from Oiwan Lam, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Guang Yang, Unsplash
AI-assisted adaptation of the original article, simplified for language learners.
China's Cyberspace Administration (CAC) launched an anti-negativity campaign on September 22, 2023. This initiative aims to curb online content that promotes pessimism and hostility. Various forms of media, including social media posts, videos, and live-streaming content, are included in this crackdown.
The CAC has determined that negativity is an issue in Chinese society. Therefore, topics like familial trauma and workplace criticism are flagged as harmful. Influencers, such as Hu Chenfeng, Zhang Xuefeng, and Lan Zhanfei, have been banned for promoting divisive and negative sentiments.
This campaign also targets online communities such as ‘lying-flatists’ and trolls who are believed to incite conflict. Analysts suggest the campaign responds to rising youth discontent due to issues like high unemployment. Critics fear that suppressing negative sentiments will not solve economic problems but could worsen young people's feelings of hopelessness.
Difficult words
- campaign — A planned series of actions to achieve something.
- negativity — The state of being pessimistic or critical.negative
- content — Information or material shared online.
- hostility — Unfriendly or antagonistic behavior.
- society — A group of people living together.
- criticism — The expression of disapproval based on perceived faults.
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How do you feel about efforts to limit online negativity?
- What impacts can negativity have on society?
- Can suppressing negative feelings help young people?
- What alternatives might there be for addressing youth discontent?
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