Contesting the Policy Proposal to Raise the Statutory Retirement Age in an Online Community of Mainly Young Users.

Abstract

China's September 2024 proposal to raise the statutory retirement age prompted online debate over its implications. This study examines how the policy proposal was discussed and framed on Zhihu, a Chinese question-and-answer online community primarily composed of young users (a relevant but underexamined group whose contributions to the pension system and perspectives may shape policy legitimacy and feasibility). 1298 posts were collected over the six days following the proposal announcement and analyzed using thematic and framing analysis. Five key themes emerged from the posts: barriers to extending working life (e.g. ageism), reduced autonomy in everyday life (e.g. unmet family caregiving duties), structural disparities in pension schemes (e.g. occupation- and gender-based differences), rationales for the policy proposal, and intergenerational tensions. Five frames were identified: risk, inequality, compromised well-being, conflict, and opportunity. The findings suggest that the online discourse is predominantly critical and grievance-laden and is intertwined with broader societal and institutional issues. Multiple coexisting frames articulate the diverse experiences and structural conditions of different social groups across age, gender, occupation, and other intersecting identities. The findings suggest that policymakers in labor, health, and social welfare should engage more cautiously with issues raised within the online community, particularly concerns about structural inequalities and disadvantages affecting different social groups.