China starts campaign to remove 'negative' online contentCEFR B1
6 Oct 2025
Adapted from Oiwan Lam, Global Voices • CC BY 3.0
Photo by Guang Yang, Unsplash
China's Cyberspace Administration began a two-month campaign on September 22 to remove online content it describes as inciting antagonism, violence and "pessimistic and negative sentiments." The campaign covers social media, video and live-stream platforms, hashtags, trending topics and message boards.
Authorities listed types of negative content such as discussions of familial trauma, insults between men and women, criticism of young workers, and mockery of bosses. Within a week four prominent mainland influencers were banned and their posts removed on platforms including Weibo, Weixin, Xiaohongshu, Kuaishou, Douyin and Bilibili. Each influencer had tens of millions of followers before removal.
Analysts link the campaign to youth unhappiness and record youth unemployment. China's National Bureau of Statistics reported youth unemployment of 18.9 percent in August this year. Observers warn the crackdown could backfire because real economic problems underlie negative sentiment.
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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