The platformization of misogyny: Popular media, gender politics, and misogyny in China’s state-market nexus

Abstract

This study aims to map out the popular phenomenon of misogyny in the specific techno-social configuration buttressed by China’s state-market nexus. With a case study of a controversy involving the standup comedian Yang Li and the luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz on the microblogging platform Weibo, I highlight the ‘platformization of misogyny.’ The conceptualization refers to the way that a platform is evoked as tools to manufacture and amplify misogyny. Weibo has this effect both through its design, features, and algorithmic shaping of sociality and through its users’ appropriation of its affordances. On top of that, the platform also engenders a form of governance that is deeply enmeshed in the commercialization of internet opinion, suggesting a techno-nationalist mode of state control that is exercised from afar and deeply imbued with patriarchal and misogynistic characteristics.

Twitter trolling of Pakistani female journalists: A patriarchal society glance

“…The study, in addition to dissecting the trolling of the selected case studies (which concluded that trolling consists of a deep-seated hatred for women and their culturally rooted position), demonstrates how social networking sites like Twitter can provide a platform for trolls to advance patriarchy and misogyny, as social networking sites are becoming virtual stages of resentment (Kilvington, 2021). Liao (2023) also supported the platformization of misogyny and concluded that platforms ultimately produce a type of control that is inextricably intertwined with the commercialization of online opinions. With its examination of themes, the study also contributes to the literature on how trolling can function as a technique to recreate the traditional patriarchal framework, especially for powerful and empowered women such as journalists (Vochocová, 2018).…”

Mind over Matter: Examining the Role of Cognitive Dissonance and Self-Efficacy in Discontinuous Usage Intentions on Pan-Entertainment Mobile Live Broadcast Platforms

“…Whether it is through platform or government regulation, users ultimately play an important role, and if users can consciously improve their own qualities, user management will be more effective with less effort. Prior studies have also shown that cyberbullying is a major concern among pan-entertainment mobile live broadcast platform users [ 103 ]. To tackle this issue, platforms should implement strict policies and procedures for handling cyberbullying and provide users with the ability to report and block other users.…”

State, platform, and misogynistic disinformation in China

“…Like everywhere in the world, the Chinese digital platforms are built on the business model of the human-centered attention economy (Fuchs, 2013; Liao, 2023). In this model, the platforms realize profitability through sociality.…”