Chinese Platforms: A Critical Introduction

The rise of the Chinese internet has reconfigured digital culture around the world. From social media platforms such as WeChat and Douyin to utility platforms Didi and Eleme, the Chinese platform economy has shown a remarkable capacity to innovate and grow, incurring constraints as well as receiving protection from the Chinese state. This is the first textbook to centre Chinese platforms in the transformation of the global internet. Offering an overview of the history, governance and social-political implications, the book shows how Chinese platforms are situated within the domestic political economy of China, and the external geopolitics and cross-border mobilities of capital, technology and populations. Topics covered include policy and governance, social media entertainment, e-commerce, digital labour, and the Chinese diaspora. Comparing and contrasting the Chinese platform ecology with its global counterpart, the book argues that, while Chinese platforms exhibit more effective economic and technological innovation and have strong cultural cachet, they are subject to a far greater degree of state oversight, including facilitation as well as correction and censorship. Chinese Platforms is a required reading for students of Media and Communication Studies and China Studies, as well as those interested in the rise of digital China and the implications for the global platform society.