When content moderation is not about content: How Chinese social media platforms moderate content and why it matters

Abstract

Content moderation has become an essential part of the business of social media platforms, yet how it works remains largely a mystery in some important cases, particularly with regard to platforms run by Chinese companies. This research examines the latest automated moderation approaches adopted by Chinese short video platforms. Drawing on expert interviews and documentary research, we argue that Chinese platforms are moving away from a semantic approach, one that aims to grasp the meaning of content, and toward regulating the ambient element, which we define as the pervasive information that immediately surrounds content and enacts its overall character and impact. Applying a consequentialist ethics lens to investigate this turn, we argue that the ambient shift represents a more proactive approach to moderation, one intended to create a generally beneficial informational environment for platform users. This contrasts with reactive, individualistic moderation regimes grounded in the principle of informational neutrality.