Stop Updating: A Textual Analysis of Chinese Viewers Towards the Video of Bilibili Vloggers Announcement

Abstract

Bilibili, a video sharing website where users can view and add overlaid commentary on videos has become one of the major video sharing platforms in China. In early 2023, a phenomenon emerged on Bilibili where vloggers began announcing stop updating, indicating their intention to cease uploading new content. This phenomenon immediately sparked widespread discussions on the internet and within society at large. This study employs text analysis to gain insights into how users on Bilibili reacted and responded to vloggers announcing stop updating. The research identifies five dimensions characterizing the users responses: (1) attitudes towards the ecosystem; (2) attitudes towards Bilibili; (3) attitudes towards advertising; (4) attitudes towards vloggers; and (5) attitudes towards other users. The findings of this research illuminate the relationships among Bilibili, content creators, users, and how these dynamics influence content production, dissemination, and monetization on the platform. Additionally, the results offer insights into the behaviors of content creators and users on the platform. Furthermore, this research unveils the business models of Bilibili, particularly concerning aspects related to advertising, sponsorship, and the profitability of content creators.