Source from TechInAsia
Undoubtedly, the emergence of Weibo, a hybrid of Twitter and Facebook in China, has important meanings for celebrities who want to get more exposure, for companies to promote to the general consumers, and for people to connect with friends in diverse ways, but perhaps the most impacted one would be on shortening the communication distances between the Chinese government and its people. Weibo, a fast media product, has much marketing importance to the Chinese politicians.
As an example, the news of the police chief of Chongqing sought refuge in the US consulate in Chengdu after falling out politburo member Bo Xilai was publicized most immediately on Weibo. The news was spread out very quickly by people sharing and commenting, and soon the world was informed of the news, which pressured the Chinese government to handle this issue in a fast and transparent manner. Before Bo’s issue, no rumors about the politburos were ever exposed in China due to the censorship. As we can see, the growth of fast media in China allowed people to receive messages more easily and even acted as an agent for reducing political corruptions, and Weibo is a powerful tool for that.
This improvement in speech of freedom did not come without resistance. Referring to Bo Xilai’s case, Weibo had to ban users from commenting on other people’s posts for several days, and several users who posted speculation about a possible coup in Beijing were arrested. Henceforth, in order for the Chinese government to better service its people as well as to keep people align with its political vision, Weibo and other fast media marketing tools are important for establishing the necessary trusts and transparencies. By doing so, a more open, harmonized, and less corrupted China will be within sight.