• About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service
No Result
View All Result
Saturday, March 6, 2021
THE MILLENNIAL SOURCE
  • World
  • US
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Profiles
  • Lifestyle
    • Food & Travel
    • Tech & Money
    • Health
    • Entertainment
  • Newsletter
TMS
No Result
View All Result
Home WORLD

Clubhouse and its brief moment of free speech in China

byConnor Bryantand Edited byBrendan Monroe
February 17, 2021
in WORLD
Reading Time: 4 minute read
China's brief experiment with free speech

Source: Florence Lo, Reuters

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin
It was a rare, limited experiment with free speech in China – one that did not last long. Clubhouse was banned in China earlier this month.

Clubhouse was a relatively new social media app. Created in late 2020, it was only available to iPhone users and participation in the app was through invitation only. Its popularity stemmed from the fact that it gave users the opportunity to engage in unregulated discussion, which is something seldom found in China. 

The app was divided into different “rooms” dedicated to a specific topic. One room might feature a speaker discussing bitcoin, while another may feature someone presenting on public policy. The inclusion of prominent speakers like Tesla chief executive officer Elon Musk led to a surge in popularity and prestige for the app.

Politics was a favorite topic of debate on the app. Clubhouse participants from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Chinese expats often discussed taboo subjects ranging from Xinjiang to Hong Kong to Taiwan. Users included activists, journalists, tech workers and other thought leaders.

The New York Times reported that speakers included a Uighur woman sharing her family’s experiences in Xinjiang as well as Taiwanese and Chinese nationals discussing cross-strait relations. Other publicly shunned topics included the government response to both the 1989 protests at Tiananmen Square and the COVID-19 pandemic. Other chat rooms focused on cultural subjects and employment.

It was a rare, limited experiment with free speech in China – one that did not last long. Clubhouse was banned in China earlier this month. Despite its limited time and availability in China, the app’s impact quickly caused sources close to the government to work to delegitimize it.

Critics of Clubhouse

The Chinese state-backed national tabloid Global Times claimed that Clubhouse wouldn’t be popular in China, but interest in the app led to two articles and an editorial on it.

The Global Times also reported that many users were dissatisfied with the app and claims were made that the political discussions were usually one-sided and anti-China.

In an editorial for the tabloid, editor in chief Hu Xijin expressed his opposition on Clubhouse, writing that “free speech cannot be allowed to jeopardize China’s governance” and arguing that social cohesion had only been made possible thanks to the economic strides China has made in recent decades – advancements that could be threatened by the app.

In response to the Chinese government’s ban, Dr. Jamie Gruffydd-Jones, Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at the University of Kent’s School of Politics and International Relations, stated, “From the time that Chinese citizens began to freely debate sensitive issues like Xinjiang and Taiwan on the increasingly popular Clubhouse app, Chinese authorities’ blocking of the app was inevitable.

“On one hand, a small subsection of iPhone users, who were arguably already invested in understanding other political viewpoints, and willing to pay to do so, dipped their elbows into the app.

“However, the mere possibility of a space for free and open political debate, not just for Chinese citizens to hear unfiltered views from outside the firewall but also openly express their own opinions without censorship, presented a challenge to authorities. Maintaining complete control over the narrative around these sensitive issues is a crucial part of Xi Jinping’s governance model.”

What now?

The popularity of Clubhouse has inspired some in the Chinese tech industry to develop a copy of the app. Presumably, it would include a similar platform for discussion, but only allow government-approved topics.

Dr. Gruffydd-Jones writes, “We should not be surprised to see a domestic Chinese version of Clubhouse appear soon – one that is subject to censorship and controls, but that nonetheless provides the illusion of free debate that made Clubhouse popular.”

Clubhouse joins other social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter in being blocked by the “Great Firewall of China” – the term applied to the censorship apparatus of the Chinese government. 

Access to the app is still possible by using a virtual private network (VPN), which can disguise internet traffic. Usurping the firewall might allow users who relish open discussion to covertly use Clubhouse, which might extend the app’s relevance in China, at least for a time.

However, those who can access Clubhouse might be interested in a chat room topic that has recently become popular: The banning of Clubhouse.

Have a tip or story? Get in touch with our reporters at [email protected]

Like TMS? Subscribe to our free daily newsletter

Related

Tags: AsiaLonger readPolitics
ShareTweetShare

Latest Posts

After raising US$8.3 billion in loans, what’s Tencent going to do next?

After raising US$8.3 billion in loans, what’s Tencent going to do next?

March 4, 2021
How would Senator Elizabeth Warren’s 2% wealth tax work?

How would Senator Elizabeth Warren’s 2% wealth tax work?

March 4, 2021
The future of cryptocurrency

The future of cryptocurrency

March 3, 2021

After an ascendant 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is having a terrible 2021

March 3, 2021

The Biden administration’s changes to the Paycheck Protection Program

March 2, 2021

What are NFTs?

March 2, 2021

The Dasgupta Review offers economically viable solutions for combating climate change

March 2, 2021

Here are the biggest take-aways from CPAC 2021

March 1, 2021

LinkedIn is launching its own service for freelancers

March 1, 2021
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Write for us
  • Contact
  • Terms of service

© 2020 The Millennial Source Ltd.

No Result
View All Result
  • World
  • US
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Profiles
  • Lifestyle
    • Food & Travel
    • Tech & Money
    • Health
    • Entertainment
  • Newsletter

© 2020 The Millennial Source Ltd.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

The Millennial Source
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.