After the popularity of Clubhouse, the American voice community software, it has accidentally led to exchanges and discussions between netizens from both sides of the Taiwan Strait and other places on Xinjiang and Hong Kong issues in the theme room. As the topic spreads, many Chinese users have begun to speculate when the authorities will build a “wall” of blockade.
The “Tibetan and Xinjiang friends, we want you to come over and chat” theme room recently launched by online media people in Clubhouse has sparked a craze because of the presence of many Xinjiang and Tibetan netizens. The “Cross-Strait Youth Chat”, which was initiated by the private sector, also led to an unexpected dialogue between netizens from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, which was an alternative cross-strait exchange despite the disagreements between the two sides.
The repercussions of these two themed rooms have been noticed by all parties and have led Chinese users to discuss whether Clubhouse will be “walled” (blocked) and whether it is risky to speak up.
Clubhouse is currently only available for download on iOS devices, and you have to be invited by existing members to join the discussion forum. (Photo taken from the App Store at apps.apple.com)
Last night’s late-night “Will Clubhouse be walled tomorrow?” panel was held until around 2pm. A Chinese user who described his background as in the information industry argued that technically, “to wall or not to wall, it’s just a matter of a string of code”, but the official blocking of software needs a reasonable excuse, and if users continue to enthusiastically discuss topics that the authorities are afraid of, or even cause protrusions, the official will have an excuse to take action. This view is shared by many Chinese users.
Faced with the discussion of whether this will lead to self-censorship, many Chinese users have reservations, saying only implicitly, “Don’t say what you shouldn’t say.
But some Chinese users confessed that the “wall” is indeed an obstacle, and that “the existence of arrogance and prejudice between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is the result of the wall.
As with many theme rooms, the conversation, which lasted late into the night, was inconclusive, but Clubhouse allowed people from different backgrounds to communicate with each other by voice.
A netizen who participated in the “cross-strait youth chat” wrote on Weibo afterwards: “The focus of this ‘chat’ is communication, not persuasion”, and there has been no “such restrained discussion” on related issues across the Taiwan Strait.
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