The article discusses the stark differences between social media in China and the West, emphasizing the state control in China which leads to a different content dynamic. American social platforms like Instagram and Facebook are banned in China, creating a reliance on local alternatives. Influencer culture is thriving, with influencers evolving into creative content creators. Philip Tinari of the UCCA Center notes that surveillance results in a more neutral content environment compared to the biases seen in Western apps. A recent ban on TikTok in the US temporarily highlighted these divides, revealing contrasting concerns about influence and control of social media.
"We track these influencers and invite them to special influencer opening nights for our major shows. We try to give them what they need to make interesting content."
"It's an algorithm that's controlling a huge percentage of the population's attention, and these things are not that difficult to play with."
"Chinese apps are not able to execute a personal or private agenda in the ways we've seen from some of the American ones recently."
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