⚠️ The Problem

The rise of social media poses unprecedented challenges to authoritarian regimes seeking to influence public attitudes and behaviors. Authoritarian actors have adapted by shifting from tightly controlled, top-down messaging to more diffuse approaches on digital platforms.

📊 Building a Douyin Map of State Accounts

A novel dataset was created to trace how the Chinese state operates on short-video platforms. Key features:

• Over five million videos
• More than 18,000 regime-affiliated accounts on Douyin (a leading Chinese social media platform)

🔎 Evidence for a Decentralized Propaganda System

Analysis of the Douyin data demonstrates a new model of state influence on social media:

• Tens of thousands of government workers and insiders are mobilized to produce and distribute content
• Content flows are multidirectional rather than strictly top-down
• The decentralized model reshapes both who creates propaganda and how it spreads across the platform

💡 What This Means for Understanding Propaganda

The findings supplement prevailing understandings of propaganda by showing, both theoretically and empirically, that digital technologies are transforming not only the content of propaganda but also its production and dissemination. This reconceptualization highlights a shift in authoritarian information strategies in the digital era.