Stanford Seminar - How the Chinese Government Fabricates Social Media Posts for Strategic Distraction

This seminar examines how the Chinese government controls online information through censorship and covert propaganda, focusing on fabricated social media posts by the 50c Party. It presents systematic evidence, account analysis, post categories, and theoretical implications for managing public opinion and collective action.

Syllabus

Introduction.
China's Massive Propaganda Effort.
Goal of China's 50c Party.
First Systematic Evidence on China's 50c Party.
Zhanggong Internet Propaganda Operations.
Categories and Analyses of 50c Party Posts.
Content of Leaked and Predicted 50c Party Posts.
Survey Validation of 50c Party Membership Predictions.
Validation by the Chinese Government.
Theoretical Implications.