China Censors Hong Kong Protest News to Blame ‘Riots’ on America

 

However, this has not been effective as China’s AI technology can now monitor and censor in real time. Even images that are captioned differently to avoid automated detection get taken down eventually.  

One headline from the state-run China Daily even did a write-up on a few dozen protesters outside the U.S. Consulate instead of the two marches that drew over 1 million protesters.

The headline read: “HK parents march against US meddling.”

Hu Xijin, the editor-in-chief of Global Times, wrote on Weibo to explain that the extradition bill is “normal legislature behavior,” adding that the protest was started by opposition groups “maliciously stirring things up with support from the West.”

Ironically, Hu’s posts provided a sort of outlet for netizens who have been wanting to give their opinion on the matter.

Some users also pointed out that they only heard about the protest through Hu’s posts, according to Abacus News.

“Why do I feel like Hu is working undercover?” one Weibo user wrote in a deleted comment. “Only a few people knew at first. Now millions more know since seeing Hu’s post, and they will surely go look on Google.”

Hu’s interpretation of events also meant nothing to other netizens.

“There is a firewall, anyway,” one commenter wrote. “Boss Hu can make up whatever he wants!”

“Thousands of lawyers in Hong Kong who know a bit more about law went out in the streets. Boss Hu should educate them about the law,” another said in jest.

“Looks like millions of Hong Kong people are fools and are too easily manipulated,” read another sarcastic reply. “Millions of people don’t know as well as Boss Hu! How wise of Boss Hu!”

“Hu now holds the information high ground,” said one commenter. “For us inside the wall, you are our eyes and mouth, whatever you say is true!”

Meanwhile, other creative netizens resorted to using metaphors to convey their opinions on the censored issue.

Featured Image via Getty Images