Social media transforming news: Increasing public accountability in China–within limits

Abstract

On July 23 2011, a message posted by a passenger four minutes after the crash of a high-speed train in Wenzhou, southeast China, on the Twitter-like platform Sina Weibo became the first of millions that were to follow about the crash, where 35 people died and 211 were injured. It also became an original source for news organizations. The government sacked three senior rail officials immediately and launched an investigation into the event, which has become cited as a watershed for the expression of public opinion using Weibo. Nearly a year before, on September 16 2010, two sisters were intercepted by county officials of the Jiangxi province, southeast China, on their way to a news interview about the forced demolition of their home. They called the reporter for assistance when hiding in a public toilet, and the reporter then published a Weibo post seeking urgent help. Despite the desire for an exclusive story, he spread the word among other reporters of the happening to try to get help for the sisters. Reporters then interviewed the sisters via mobile phone, and the sisters broadcast their entrapment live on Weibo. Within an hour and a half, local officials suggested “talking” to the sisters after reporters arrived at the scene. After a further half-hour Sina Weibo had received clear instructions to delete the live broadcast messages. This turn of events resulting from the use of Weibo was described as the opening of a new page in citizen rights protection.