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There's asymmetry between Chinese propaganda able to operate freely on western platforms, while western propaganda are filtered on Chinese platforms. This is a

There's asymmetry between Chinese propaganda able to operate freely on western platforms, while western propaganda are filtered on Chinese platforms. This is a real foreign policy conundrum since both parties are following relevant local regulations. It's a asymmetry of values, and I was always curious if west would find solutions without adopting similar anti-values of Chinese censorship. But they're converging more and more every year. Up till now, Twitter labels foreign missions / media as warning (though biasedly, i.e. CGTN is labelled state media where BBC is not). Regardless, wholesale deplatforming of a foreign mission is a line that even China has not crossed on weibo. Occasional posts will be removed or shadowbanned, but nothing on this scale. Let that sink in. This is tantamount to private company influencing foreign policy, or further validation of Chinese censorship policy. Either way this reaffirms the Chinese model. I'm sure there's going to be much rationalization and wank over differences between private and government control and muh liberal values. But IMO it's perfunctory. When pro democracy activists and Merkel who grew up in east Germany commented recent deplatforms are going too far, maybe listen.

neartheplain 6y ago
Up till now, Twitter labels foreign missions / media as warning (though biasedly, i.e. CGTN is labelled state media where BBC is not) To be fair, when's the last time a sitting PM asked for "absolute loyalty" from the BBC [0]? My impression is that while both are state-funded, the Beeb is much more free in its editorial voice [1]. [0] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/19/xi-jinping-tours-chinas-top-state-media-outlets-to-boost-loyalty https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/19/xi-jinping-tou... [1] https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/27282/why-shouldnt-bbc-have-to-register-as-a-foreign-agent https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/27282/why-shoul...
- dirtyid 6y ago
  Many diaspora from the global south, who grew up in countries with state media, but now lives in the west will tell you even the free-est western fifth estate is prone to manufactured consent that is frequently indistinguishable from state propaganda. IMO perfunctory rationalization extends into this labelling as well. Of all media sources, state media is probably the easiest to identify. Presumably that's what Twitter's labelling is for, unless it's actually a wiki style reliable source list, in which case it should be advertised as such. If not then BBC / CBC is government funded state media and should be labelled as such.
  - neartheplain 6y ago
    I agree. At the same time, the BBC and CGTN fall into materially different categories with respect to editorial independence. So does PBS, for that matter; while they're funded in part by the taxpayer, their coverage of the Trump administration has been anything but subservient, and indeed at times quite critical [0]. Putting these organizations in the same class of media bias seems to erase some important, and measurable, distinctions. [0] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/january-6-2021-pbs-newshour-full-episode https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/january-6-2021-pbs-newshou...

neartheplain 6y ago

Up till now, Twitter labels foreign missions / media as warning (though biasedly, i.e. CGTN is labelled state media where BBC is not) To be fair, when's the last time a sitting PM asked for "absolute loyalty" from the BBC [0]? My impression is that while both are state-funded, the Beeb is much more free in its editorial voice [1]. [0] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/19/xi-jinping-tours-chinas-top-state-media-outlets-to-boost-loyalty https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/19/xi-jinping-tou... [1] https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/27282/why-shouldnt-bbc-have-to-register-as-a-foreign-agent https://politics.stackexchange.com/questions/27282/why-shoul...

dirtyid 6y ago
Many diaspora from the global south, who grew up in countries with state media, but now lives in the west will tell you even the free-est western fifth estate is prone to manufactured consent that is frequently indistinguishable from state propaganda. IMO perfunctory rationalization extends into this labelling as well. Of all media sources, state media is probably the easiest to identify. Presumably that's what Twitter's labelling is for, unless it's actually a wiki style reliable source list, in which case it should be advertised as such. If not then BBC / CBC is government funded state media and should be labelled as such.
- neartheplain 6y ago
  I agree. At the same time, the BBC and CGTN fall into materially different categories with respect to editorial independence. So does PBS, for that matter; while they're funded in part by the taxpayer, their coverage of the Trump administration has been anything but subservient, and indeed at times quite critical [0]. Putting these organizations in the same class of media bias seems to erase some important, and measurable, distinctions. [0] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/january-6-2021-pbs-newshour-full-episode https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/january-6-2021-pbs-newshou...