Navigating the new normal of public opinion society

Recent events, from the playful use of bamboo cicada toys as a metaphor for a tech giant to the posture of a hostess during an interview, epitomize a defining feature of contemporary Chinese society: the frequent emergence of public-opinion incidents. Every few days, a headline-making topic goes viral on social media, capturing widespread attention and triggering a cacophony of divergent views.

This phenomenon can rightly be termed a "public opinion society", though interpretations of individual incidents can vary wildly. For instance, when internet users mashed up the audio of a bamboo cicada toy with clips from a company's product launch to parody its promotional slogan, the creator's meme and the legal response by the company drew mixed reactions.

Similarly, when a hostess crouched to interview foreign creative team members seated on high stools at a film premiere, some praised it as a professional move to avoid blocking the camera, while others decried it as obsequious deference to foreigners.

As such incidents multiply, public opinion has become a complex social issue. While this is a norm of the digital era, the constant barrage of controversies undoubtedly fuels anxiety among officials, corporations, public figures, and even ordinary citizens.

Media outlets recommend overcoming what might be called public-opinion mysophobia — an excessive fear of negative publicity — by building psychological resilience and responding proactively. Influential commentators advocate establishing a mechanism to mitigate the negative fallout of viral incidents.

The digital public sphere is characterized by low barriers, widespread participation and rapid dissemination.

The sheer volume of grassroots voices highlights societal vitality, but it also breeds emotional manipulation, rampant rumors, and one-sided verdicts, leading some to view it as a monstrous threat.

Yet, the collision of diverse perspectives itself is a product of social transition. Compared to the information silos and limited channels of expression in the past, this change represents undeniable progress.

Over decades of reform and opening-up, China has undergone a profound transformation — from isolation to openness, scarcity to abundance and uniformity to diversity.

In terms of public discourse, citizens have moved beyond basic needs to pursue higher aspirations such as fairness, justice and transparency. Various demands regarding livelihoods and governance expectations are now the driving force of public expression.

The catalyst of this change is the widespread adoption of digital technology. With mobile internet — particularly social media — permeating daily life, everyone has become a broadcaster, capable of voicing opinions at any moment. This has shattered the old paradigm where a select few monopolized the discourse, revealing the pluralistic and often conflicting nature of a society in transition.

At a deeper level, the growing awareness of civil rights sustains the vitality of this public opinion society. Citizens have evolved from passive bystanders of public affairs into active participants in social governance, making the oversight of public power a social norm. More people are now emboldened to express themselves on various issues. The increasing complexity of voices in the internet age is both an objective trend beyond anyone's will and a hallmark of social progress.

To some extent, the frequent eruption of public opinion incidents is fostering a mechanism of societal self-correction. In recent decades, no incident that captured national attention ended merely in emotional venting. Instead, each became a milestone in addressing institutional flaws and social shortcomings. Many far-reaching social reforms were triggered by major public uproars.

One notable example is the death of Sun Zhigang in 2003, which led to the abolition of an outdated system. Sun, a young man from Hubei province, was detained in Guangzhou for not having a temporary residence permit and later died in custody. The case sparked a nationwide outcry, leading to scrutiny of the flaws in the custody and repatriation system. Three months later, the Measures for the Custody and Repatriation of Urban Vagrants and Beggars — in effect for over two decades — was repealed and replaced by a new assistance regulation that better protected the rights of the floating population.

Admittedly, the profusion of public opinion also carries risks that can't be ignored. Algorithms can amplify negative emotions rapidly, and the traffic-first logic of dissemination favors extreme content. Conflict, pathos, and labeling quickly attract eyeballs, inflaming netizens and allowing one-sided views to dominate while occasionally silencing objective voices. Unchecked public opinion can fracture social consensus, interfere with the rule of law, and magnify societal anxiety.

A tragic example is the case of Liu Xuezhou, a young man from Hebei province who eventually committed suicide because of online violence. Sent away at three months old, he found his biological parents through DNA matching when he was 17 in 2022.

However, a dispute over housing was exposed on the internet, where some accused him of demanding an apartment from his parents. A deluge of abusive comments led to Liu's breakdown, and he committed suicide. While long-standing psychological trauma was a factor, the online abuse was the final straw for the young man.

In this case, the influencers who fanned the flames were sued and a court found them guilty of fabricating facts and committing defamation. The ruling highlights the importance of tackling the challenges of public opinion.

Building a healthy online ecosystem requires guiding the public to respect facts, and avoid black-and-white thinking. Most importantly, under the supervision of regulators, platforms must shoulder their responsibilities — breaking the chain of misinformation and minimizing the space for extreme narratives.

The author is chief researcher at the China Watch Institute, China Daily.

The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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