Chinese Communist Party manipulating algorithms to suit its propaganda activities
Aug 18, 2022
Beijing [China], August 18 : Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is planning to manipulate the algorithms submitted by the high-profile companies, in line with the recently implemented 'Regulations on Management of Algorithm Recommendations for Internet Information Services' to suit the propaganda activities and agenda of the Party, in the run up to 20th Party Congress.
Incidentally, thirty Chinese big tech companies, including Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance, Baidu, Meituan, Weibo, Kuaishow and NetEase have recently submitted their respective algorithms for the first time to the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), in accordance with the regulation, reported loca20th Party Congress.l media.
Access to these algorithms would allow CAC to understand how these companies influence and exploit customer behaviour and encourage internet addiction by targeted promotion of the content.
Meanwhile, the recent visits of the US Congressional delegations to Taiwan have led to a spurt in anti-US sentiments in China, resonating strongly on Chinese social media.
Incidentally, a prominent pro-CCP blogger Sima Nan, who projects himself as a big critic of US, has been targeted by Chinese netizens for acquiring landed property in the US.
Sima is also being criticized for reposing faith in the US than China, which is reflective of the prevailing anti-US sentiments in the country, reported local media.
Moreover, the recent lockdown imposed by Chinese authorities to curb the increased COVID-19 cases in Sanya city of the Hainan province has led to intermittent street protests by the public, demanding that they should be allowed to leave the city.
Video clips of these protests have also been shared on various Chinese social media accounts.
Incidentally, some of the social media posts have also pressed anguish over the act of Chinese authorities, allowing the wealthy to leave the city by chartered flights. At the same time, curbs were imposed on the common people to prevent their outward journey from the city.
Meanwhile, Chinese censors have kicked into high gear. Online platforms with information about such issues have vanished from the internet.
Though these are small scale protests. yet it reflects the public mood against the zero-Covid policy of President Xi Jinping.
Moreover, the leadership skills of Chinese President Xi Jinping will be put to test ahead of the 20th Party Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), scheduled for 2022 end and rising tensions with Taiwan in the aftermath of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visit to the self-governed island.
