Page 63 - Feasibility Study of New Media Technology on Constructing Online Public Sphere

Chapter 2. Literature review

posted on the internet, censors read and manually remove that which they find

objectionable and inappropriate. Manual censoring cannot be evaded by the
netizens’ tricks mentioned earlier.
A growing method for state control is the use of a subtler approach to manipulate
online public opinion, such as resorting to undercover commentators to guide the direc-
tion of consensus (Tai, 2006). However, the implementation of such intense restrictive

methods may not be as effective as expected because of the ever-evolving information
technologies, which are extremely difficult to keep pace with (ibid). Xiao (2011) pro-
posed that, for those far-sighted officials, they should discern the developing trend in

information technology and adopt selectively tolerant approaches or even embark on
internet expression as a barometer for public opinion. Internet expression can be used
to assess public opinion, the average citizen’s real needs and people’s perceptions on
the state and authority (ibid), and so allow the government ‘to be more responsive to
citizens’ concerns and to provide a safety valve for the release of public anger (ibid,

p.59)’ which is beneficial for the stability of the society and of the authorities. Online
public opinion can also be used as an effective tool to promote political change and if
the interests and agendas of different political agencies do not match or agree, it will

facilitate the support of one side over the other (ibid).
Based on the expansion of public participation on the internet, the explosive
growth in the number of internet users and the changes in the government’s correspond-
ing control mechanism, Xiao (2011) found that the situation had gradually changed the
relationship between the state and the public: ‘authorities are increasingly taking note

and responding to public opinion as it expresses itself online’ (ibid, p.47). Xiao also
found that online public participation centres on societal or political issues that concern
the collective interest, and this has changed the internet into a training ground and an

agile medium to inform the government about the people’s demands. This encourages
the regime to learn to adapt to these new circumstances and become more responsive.
Compromise has already been made in response to the challenge, in the tolerant attitude
towards public participation, rule-changing action and negotiation, and has presented
the possibility of ‘better governance with greater citizen participation’ (ibid, p.60).

47
47