China's New Social Media App Should Look Familiar

 

China’s Communist government has launched a new app that urges citizens to report anyone expressing “mistaken opinions” on the Internet. The new platform will also target anyone who criticizes the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), disputes the official CCP version of the country’s history, or traffics in “misinformation.” The new website and app was recently unveiled by an arm of the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), and authorities called on users to play an “active role” in helping to identify “malicious people distorting facts and confusing” others. CCP authorities stated: “We hope that most internet users will play an active role in supervising society…and enthusiastically report harmful information,” adding that they strongly “encouraged” netizens to report fellow internet users who have the audacity to spread “mistaken opinions” online in order to create a “good public opinion atmosphere.” Particularly egregious offenses would apparently include “distorting” the Party's history, attacking its leadership and policies, and “denying the excellence of advanced socialist culture.”  

This new app is in addition to and augments China’s existing oppressive social credit score system that bans people from traveling and engaging in other basic societal activities and functions if they commit even minor “infractions” such as jaywalking or buying too much junk food.

“Mistaken opinions?” Particularly astute readers of this post will note that this is the third time I have used that term, two of which I’ve hyperlinked. The reason should be obvious. “Opinions” are just that. Two plus two does equal four, regardless of what modern espousers of critical race theory may say, but opinions are, by definition, not immutable truths. That is why they are termed “opinions.” Yet, the CCP, in using the term “mistaken opinions,” is clearly if obliquely asserting that its opinions are facts and those of anyone dissenting from them are false, untrue, lies… calumnious.

This may seem extreme and an attack on cherished God-given freedoms to some in the United States-- or the West in general, but, is it really any different than how Twitter, FaceBook, Google, You-Tube, Instagram, et. al., police their platforms? Or how social media mobs in the west currently conduct preposterously biased witch hunts that often lead to people being ostracized, de-platformed, and unemployed, simply for expressing “mistaken opinions.” Is this really any different than what CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Hollywood, Big Academia, Big Tech, and the hyper-craven-cum-hyper-woke CEOs of giant multi-national corporations are engaging in? It is certainly akin to the actions and policies the Biden administration—and the majority of Democratic leaders/Governors/Mayors—have advocated, embarked on, and instituted.  

So, wear your mask and stay socially distant Westerners. Get vaccinated pronto. Don’t forget to use the pronouns of others’ choice! Don’t question your betters’ leadership, actions or agenda! Experts know best! The science is settled!

And always remember, the elites are only doing what they think is best for you! Don’t question that. Or they’ll have no choice but to punish you. For your own good, of course.

By-the-way, have you jaywalked lately? Denied the excellence of advanced socialist culture as portrayed by The Squad? Purchased too many bags of Cheetos and potato chips?

Don’t plan on travelling anytime soon.