In September 2025, China launched yet another sweeping effort to reshape the digital landscape — a new China internet censorship campaign aimed not at overt political dissent, but at something more subtle: online pessimism. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the nation’s top internet regulator, announced a two-month initiative to suppress what it calls “excessive negative and pessimistic sentiments” online.
This campaign, officially described as an effort to promote a “civilized and rational online environment,” has sparked widespread concern among social scientists, free-speech advocates, and even ordinary citizens. Its focus on curbing despondency reveals not only the government’s growing anxiety about the nation’s economic stagnation but also its struggle to maintain control over a generation increasingly disillusioned by social inequality, unemployment, and shrinking prospects.
For many observers, this is a new phase in China’s digital governance — one that extends beyond political messaging to regulating emotions, morale, and even hope itself.
The Roots of China’s New Digital Crackdown
China’s censorship system has long been among the most sophisticated in the world. From the Great Firewall that blocks foreign websites to algorithms that scrub sensitive words in seconds, the government has maintained a tight grip on public discourse.
However, this latest China internet censorship campaign highlights a shift in strategy. Rather than reacting to political challenges such as protests or dissident movements, Beijing is proactively targeting the tone of conversation online.
The country’s economy has been under stress due to a property crisis, falling consumer confidence, and record-high youth unemployment. Millions of graduates are struggling to find stable jobs, while others are embracing a “lying flat” lifestyle — rejecting the rat race in favor of minimalism and disengagement.
These trends have produced a flood of digital despair. On platforms like Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and Kuaishou, users post about hopelessness, dead-end jobs, and the futility of studying hard in an economy where opportunity seems increasingly scarce. It’s this sentiment — not rebellion, but resignation — that authorities now see as a threat to social stability.
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The Government’s Official Justification
The Cyberspace Administration of China declared that its campaign’s goal is to “rectify negative emotions” and “purify online spaces.” Officials argue that unchecked pessimism harms the public’s confidence in the nation’s development and social harmony.
Under the campaign, social media platforms are instructed to identify and remove content that promotes “world-weariness” or slogans like “studying is useless” and “hard work is meaningless.”
In practice, this means that posts reflecting disappointment about job losses, housing prices, or societal inequality may be flagged as subversive.
The CAC has also emphasized that platforms must strengthen content moderation, enhance user education, and ensure that algorithms do not promote negative or “sensational” stories. While framed as a public good, critics say this move dangerously expands the definition of censorship to include ordinary emotional expression.
The Economic Backdrop: Rising Pessimism Among Chinese Youth
To understand the timing of this China internet censorship campaign, one must look at China’s social and economic climate. The nation’s post-pandemic recovery has been uneven. Once the engine of global manufacturing and consumer growth, China now faces stagnant wages, slowing GDP, and a declining birth rate.
For young people, the situation is particularly grim. In mid-2025, China stopped publishing youth unemployment data after it hit record highs. Unofficial estimates suggest that more than one in five urban youth are jobless.
In cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu, competition for entry-level jobs is fierce. Many graduates work long hours for meager pay, often in unrelated fields. Others have returned home to live with parents, taking up the role of so-called “full-time children,” caring for their families instead of pursuing careers.
Amid this backdrop, online forums have become digital outlets for venting frustration. Hashtags such as “lying flat” and “involution” (a term for meaningless overwork) reflect a generation’s fatigue. But these expressions of fatigue and frustration are precisely what the government now wants to suppress.
The Crackdown on Influencers and Public Voices
Censorship in China has historically targeted dissidents, journalists, or foreign critics. But in this latest wave, influencers and educators have found themselves on the front lines of suppression.
In one high-profile case, content creator Hu Chenfeng saw all his social media posts deleted overnight. While officials gave no reason, it’s widely believed this followed a viral video in which Hu jokingly categorized people as “Apple” or “Android” — with “Android” referring to those considered inferior. What began as satire on inequality quickly spiraled into controversy. Critics accused him of reinforcing class divisions, while supporters said he merely voiced uncomfortable truths.
Another well-known figure, Zhang Xuefeng, a prominent education influencer with millions of followers, also faced restrictions. Known for blunt career advice, Zhang often warned students to make practical choices based on their test scores rather than follow lofty dreams. His message — that success is largely predetermined by economic and academic constraints — resonated with struggling youth but clashed with the government’s desire for optimism.
Both cases illustrate how the China internet censorship campaign now extends beyond political loyalty to emotional tone. Those who speak too honestly about inequality, despair, or lost opportunities risk being silenced.
Platforms Under Pressure
It’s not only individuals under scrutiny. The CAC has publicly rebuked major platforms including Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and Kuaishou for failing to “maintain positive cyberspace order.”
Authorities accuse these companies of allowing excessive “celebrity gossip,” “trivial information,” and content that spreads “negative energy.” In response, platforms are tightening moderation algorithms, increasing keyword bans, and hiring additional human censors.
This top-down enforcement mirrors previous government campaigns targeting “vulgar” entertainment or “unpatriotic” influencers. But experts note that the focus on emotions marks a new evolution in China’s information control model — one that merges political censorship with psychological management.
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Psychological Control and State Morality
Experts like Dr. Simon Sihang Luo, assistant professor at Nanyang Technological University, describe the campaign as an attempt to regulate not just behavior, but sentiment. In his view, China’s leadership sees public morale as a political resource — something to be cultivated and protected.
“People have serious questions about their future,” Dr. Luo notes. “Many young Chinese must confront the fact that their livelihoods will likely be worse than their parents’ generation.”
Suppressing negativity, he argues, may offer short-term stability but risks long-term harm. The inability to vent frustration online can exacerbate stress and alienation. It also deprives the government of valuable insight into genuine public sentiment.
The Illusion of Positivity
The government’s stated goal is to make cyberspace “clear and healthy.” But critics argue this forced positivity is artificial — a digital mirage hiding deep social unease.
For ordinary citizens, the new rules create confusion. What counts as “excessively pessimistic”? Is discussing mental health, burnout, or job stress now off-limits?
Already, users are reporting increased post removals for benign comments such as “I feel tired of life” or “I can’t find work.” Memes about “lying flat” or “being too poor to marry” are disappearing from timelines.
Behind the cheerful facade of China’s online ecosystem, the emotional diversity of millions of people is quietly being erased.
The Historical Context: Ideological Campaigns and Control
China’s leadership has long relied on ideological campaigns to shape public consciousness. From Mao Zedong’s “thought reform” to Xi Jinping’s “common prosperity” drive, these efforts share a goal: maintaining unity through narrative control.
But unlike past movements focused on class struggle or patriotism, the China internet censorship campaign targets emotion itself — an invisible frontier that’s harder to regulate.
Contemporary Chinese history suggests such efforts rarely succeed. During previous crackdowns on online satire, such as those targeting “sang culture” (a subculture of defeatist humor), users simply migrated to new platforms or invented coded language to evade detection.
This suggests that despite its digital sophistication, Beijing faces the same timeless challenge: how to command faith in a system that cannot guarantee prosperity.
Economic Anxiety and the Digital Generation
For China’s young adults, the tension between state optimism and personal despair is stark. Many grew up during the nation’s economic boom, believing hard work would yield success. Now, they face rising costs, job insecurity, and shrinking opportunities.
Social media once offered them a space for solidarity — a virtual community to share grievances, jokes, and survival tips. But with the China internet censorship campaign intensifying, even that refuge is under threat.
Sociologists warn that silencing negativity does not eliminate it; it merely drives it underground. Encrypted chat groups, coded memes, and foreign VPNs become the new outlets for free expression. The government may win the battle for appearances, but not the war for hearts and minds.
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Will the Campaign Work?
The key question remains: can censorship manufacture happiness?
Beijing’s strategy rests on the belief that controlling discourse can shape reality — that if people stop talking about despair, despair will fade. But evidence from both history and psychology suggests otherwise.
As Dr. Luo notes, “Even with a powerful government, it’s hard to eliminate pessimism when the economy looks bleak and opportunities vanish.”
In the long run, experts say, the state’s fixation on positive messaging may alienate the very generation it seeks to inspire. True optimism, after all, cannot be ordered — it must be earned through opportunity, trust, and stability.
Conclusion: The Cost of Forced Cheerfulness
The China internet censorship campaign is not merely about deleting posts or banning hashtags. It represents a deeper ideological project — to redefine how citizens think and feel about their country’s future.
In suppressing despair, China’s authorities may silence dissent, but they also risk suffocating authenticity. An internet without sadness may look harmonious, but it will also be hollow — a space where real human experience is replaced by state-approved smiles.
The paradox is clear: the harder Beijing tries to control morale, the more it exposes the fragility of its own confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the China internet censorship campaign?
It’s a government initiative launched in 2025 to suppress “negative and pessimistic” content online, aiming to promote positivity and social harmony.
2. Who manages this campaign?
The campaign is directed by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s top internet regulator.
3. Why did China launch this campaign now?
The campaign coincides with economic slowdown, youth unemployment, and growing online frustration, which authorities fear could destabilize social morale.
4. Which platforms are affected?
Major platforms like Weibo, Xiaohongshu, and Kuaishou have been penalized for allowing “negative” content and must now increase moderation.
5. Are individuals also being censored?
Yes, popular influencers such as Hu Chenfeng and Zhang Xuefeng have faced post deletions and account restrictions for controversial comments.
6. How long will the campaign last?
The initial campaign period is two months, but similar crackdowns have historically extended much longer.
7. What kind of content is being removed?
Posts about hopelessness, overwork, financial stress, and social inequality are often flagged as “negative.”
8. How does this affect Chinese youth?
It reduces their ability to express frustration, creating emotional pressure and potential mental health consequences.
9. What’s the international reaction?
Global observers see this as part of a broader tightening of control over China’s digital public sphere.
10. Will censorship reduce negativity in society?
Experts say no. Suppressing pessimism without solving its root causes — unemployment, inequality, and high pressure — may only deepen alienation.