The CCP's Digital Charm Offensive: Hiding the Truth Behind a Perfect Facade

China’s online platforms like TikTok and Xiaohongshu are all about showing the “perfect” side of the country, while conveniently hiding the struggles of everyday people. It’s like slapping makeup on a wound—covering up the pain, but not solving any real problems. These platforms are used not just in China, but globally, to manipulate opinions and silence criticism.

TikTok’s Algorithm: Promoting a Beautiful Lie

A report from *Rutgers University’s Network Contagion Research Institute* (NCRI) uncovered how TikTok pushes pro-China content and suppresses sensitive topics. Key findings include:

1. Suppressing Anti-China-Propoganda Voices
A study of Tiananmen-related videos on TikTok found that when users searched for this topic:

Only 19.6% of the videos were critical of the CCP or addressed the massacre.
45.6% of the videos completely ignored the Tiananmen incident or avoided any direct mention.
26.6% of the videos actually denied the massacre or promoted revisionist narratives, attempting to downplay or justify the CCP's actions.
This shows how TikTok’s algorithm effectively suppresses discussions that challenge the official Chinese narrative, making it harder for users to find critical content about the Tiananmen Square massacre.

2. Promoting Xinjiang as a "Tourist Paradise"
When searching for content related to Xinjiang on TikTok, the platform predominantly serves up videos that paint a rosy picture of the region. A large portion of these videos focus on:

Tourism: Highlighting Xinjiang’s scenic landscapes, traditional food, and vibrant culture, with no mention of the ongoing human rights issues or political unrest.
Food and Lifestyle: A significant number of videos portray Xinjiang as a peaceful and culturally rich place, showcasing local dishes and festivals, but steering clear of any discussion of the Uyghur Muslim population’s persecution or the region’s political situation.
This content overwhelms users with positive portrayals, while critical or politically charged content is suppressed or downranked, effectively shaping global perceptions of Xinjiang as a “tourist paradise,” rather than a place marked by severe human rights violations.

The Bigger Picture: Propaganda Across Platforms

Platforms like YouTube and Instagram have more anti-China content, but they still host a lot of pro-China videos, often from Chinese state media. This “flooding” tactic skews search results, pushing critical voices further down and reinforcing the CCP’s narrative.

The CCP’s Global Strategy: Controlling Narratives

This isn’t just about hiding the truth. The CCP uses these platforms to reshape global opinions, eroding free speech and human rights. By showcasing China’s “perfect” image, especially to younger, Western users, they manipulate perceptions and weaken democratic values worldwide.

TikTok even uses its biased algorithm to down-rank anti-China content, subtly pressuring creators into self-censorship. The end result? A platform full of propaganda, and far fewer voices questioning the narrative.

The Irony: Censorship Even Beyond China

Here’s the kicker—despite all this censorship abroad, TikTok isn’t even allowed to operate within China. Meanwhile, Chinese platforms like Xiaohongshu (Red Note) will actively block anything even remotely critical, or heck, even memes that poke fun at the regime. So, is it really a surprise that we see this level of control outside China as well?

#tiktokrefugee #Xiaohongshu #MOMO #RedNote
(Source: NCRI)https://t.co/j5QiSuqQb4

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