How Chinese Key Netizen Influencers View the TikTok Ban
Unpacking the perspectives of China's digital thought leaders on America's battle with TikTok
The context originates from a video by Zhangbeihai Official, a prominent Chinese influencer on Bilibili. This platform stands as a beacon for China's digital culture, celebrated for its dynamic community and eclectic content. It has particularly resonated with the country's well-educated younger demographics, making it a hub for thoughtful discourse and innovation. Zhangbeihai Official, with a following exceeding 1 million subscribers, is a key voice among netizens in China. In defining his ethos, he articulates a commitment to "fair distribution, cultural inclusivity, social equality, and open public opinion," epitomizing his vision of socialism. This perspective not only shapes his content but also resonates with a broader audience seeking depth and diversity in digital discourse.
Original Context:
If I had to choose two major international news stories from March, I would pick Elon Musk's heavy rocket launch and the U.S. House of Representatives passing the TikTok ban bill. In short, TikTok either has to be sold to an American company or be shut down in the U.S. The tides are shifting, and the U.S. will one day have to implement its own internet firewall.
These two events may seem unrelated, but they can actually be discussed together. On one hand, the U.S. demonstrated the world's most powerful orbital launch capability, representing its technological hegemony. On the other hand, the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech, is the cornerstone shaping American values and fundamental beliefs and is being overturned by America itself.
The contrast between advanced productive forces and the current political culture can be explained by a quote from the classic book "America Against America," written 30 years ago: The challenge from Japan that America faces today is largely due to America's institutional culture and values going against America itself.
This phenomenon is referred to as a "boomerang" on the Chinese internet. The author of that book needs no introduction, and his political stance is unquestionable. This is absolutely not a commercial book promotion today, as the book is out of print, and I'm not qualified to represent it. I just want to learn from it together with everyone.
(background info: "America Against America" is a book written by Wang Huning, one of the top leaders of the Communist Party of China. The book was written during the late 1980th when he was a visiting scholar at several American universities)
When the Taliban banned TikTok, the news barely caused a ripple, and some even said TikTok is an American company that should have been regulated long ago. This is because people already know what the Taliban is like and have no good expectations of them.
But the reason people are so concerned about the U.S. is because, for decades, America has portrayed itself as the world's police and the spokesman for democracy, nicknamed the "beacon of democracy." On one hand, America built its national values and international order on the foundations of democracy, diversity, and free trade. On the other hand, legislators and regulators are increasingly worried about TikTok's data collection and Americans expressing pro-Palestinian views on the platform.
America's biggest accusation against TikTok is that the Chinese Communist Party controls it. My assessment is that it's better if TikTok is actually controlled by us, because if it really were, how could we not be able to access it?
Trump's reaction is particularly interesting. Everyone knows that during his presidency, he initiated a trade war against China and frequently mentioned "China," much like how some domestic media must mention "America and foreign forces." In 2020, when Trump was still president, he accused TikTok of being the Communist Party's "mouthpiece." However, he is now using the First Amendment to defend TikTok and so-called freedom of speech, showing that he has also made a "U-turn."
The reason is that America's democracy, freedom, and diversity are not modern value concepts but rather a political tradition passed down from generation to generation, similar to the Confucian virtue of filial piety in China. There is a rift between this political correctness and the increasingly grim reality.
American society respects minority cultures on the premise that they do not threaten the Anglo-Saxon system or challenge mainstream values. This respect and inclusion are based on accepting the American political order and fundamental values and assimilating them while preserving some elements.
There is a gap between slogans and reality, not only domestically but also in America. A society can claim to believe in certain values, but that doesn't mean it actually possesses them. America promised a pluralistic future but is unable to deliver on it.
Looking back at America's immigration structure, the earliest were British Protestants, followed by whites from Western and Eastern Europe with relatively similar races and cultures. This allowed America to form a liberal value system, but this freedom was only within a homogeneous scope. America is hailed as a "melting pot", and many Chinese immigrants' next generations quickly assimilate and undergo a dual Americanization process.
However, America is now facing immigration from completely different civilizations, cultures, and races. When different civilizations collide and integrate, contradictions are inevitable. The American mainstream has always adhered to the banner of "freedom of speech", but minority voices have become louder, making the mainstream feel their values are being challenged and threatened.
For example, many Americans believe that TikTok allows too much pro-Palestinian content that deviates from America's pro-Israel stance. Similarly, there are concerns about TikTok users expressing anti-LGBTQ views that go against America's liberal values. The American mainstream feels their free speech is being impacted.
So, in essence, this is not really about suppressing freedom of speech but about whose speech has the right to be "free." The American mainstream wants to retain its free speech privileges while restricting speech that challenges its values and interests.
This is the core reason behind banning TikTok - preserving the deep-rooted American cultural hegemony. It has nothing to do with the official reasons given, like data security concerns. After all, American citizens themselves elected these media platforms' content through interactive voting, so the content has no issues in terms of justice or legality.
From the party newspaper system under the leadership of the ruling party to the self-media era where everyone has a microphone, plus the limited power of executive orders, the visible authoritarian hand will eventually lose control. This is the law of news communication, which no country's government can change through willpower alone.
The American historian and political scientist Clinton Rossiter once hypothesized that if Abraham Lincoln were alive during World War II, he would likely worry about the expansion of state power and ask: can a democratic nation win a total war and still remain democratic after?
Similarly, we can pose the following question: Can a self-proclaimed free democratic system withstand the impact of foreign media that is even freer and more democratic while still remaining a free democratic system?
America is effectively opposing itself - one is the actual existing America, the other is America's ideals and slogans. The deeper question is, after this country that once united its own citizens and a considerable portion of global citizens under the "American Dream" resolves its values crisis through such extreme measures, how can it restore the so-called framework of a free political system without becoming dependent on administrative coercion, completely destroying the political foundation of this nation?
Of course, some may say our ban on foreign software is more extreme, and I don't deny this fact. But through my argument, you should understand why America should not do this, because such behavior is actually undermining the foundations of its own social values. Of course, I must also emphasize that it is difficult for us to maintain the status quo, and facing this world requires an active, open, and inclusive attitude - a quality that world leaders must possess and that every challenger aspiring to take their place must acquire. Although America can still produce the largest rockets for all of humanity and possess the most advanced chip technology, no matter where the TikTok incident goes, it symbolizes America becoming increasingly conservative, increasingly realistic, living more and more like the authoritarian countries it once despised.
The superstructure will have a counteracting effect on the economic base. At that time, will they still be able to maintain their prized values and production advantages? No one can say for sure. We wish our opponent good luck.
Original link:
https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1qf421o7sV/?spm_id_from=333.337.search-card.all.click&vd_source=9a3fa150faf5cb1b8ef6b854a7d8ed76