September 22, 2025

Hold tight, digital India! China’s internet police, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), dropped a bombshell on Monday, September 22, 2025. They announced a tough two-month crackdown on social media, targeting posts that spread “malicious incitement of conflict” and promote “negative outlooks on life such as world-weariness.” What does this mean? China wants to clean up its online spaces and stop content that might cause fights, promote violence, or spread bad vibes like giving up on life, often called the “lying flat” culture. Beijing has always kept a tight grip on social media, making sure posts don’t get too subversive, vulgar, pornographic, or harmful. But this time, CAC is going all in with penalties against big platforms like Weibo and Kuaishou. These popular apps have been accused of focusing too much on celebrity gossip and “undesirable” content. Earlier this month, another platform, Xiaohongshu (known as Rednote in English), also faced punishment, though authorities have not revealed the exact actions taken. The crackdown has a clear mission: stop the spread of fake news and rumours about economy, finance, social welfare, and government policies. It also targets posts that wrongly connect people’s identity, gender, or region with negative information, a move that could mean a clampdown on discrimination online. For example, in July, officials in China’s Zhejiang province warned comedians not to joke about gender battles, showing how serious they are about controlling online speech. CAC’s message is loud and clear: no to exaggerating bad news or twisting social stories to make people feel hopeless or tired of life. They want to build “a more civilised and rational online environment.” So, what’s next? Social media in China may become quieter and cleaner with less drama and controversy. But will internet users accept this heavy hand in online freedom? That’s the hot question as this campaign rolls on. One thing is sure—China’s internet scene is about to get a major makeover!

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Tags: China, Cyberspace administration of china, Social media crackdown, Online content regulation, Weibo, Kuaishou,