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→Harvard study
The study found 99.3% of the 50c army are government employees posting from government websites and not, as is commonly believed, ordinary citizens paid piecemeal for their work. Of the 43,757 posts, only 281 were made by individuals or groups that could not be identified. The content of these posts was very similar to those that could be identified. The remaining were contributed by one of over 200 government agencies throughout the Zhanggong district. This included 9,159 posts or 20.9% made directly by the Zhanggong Internet Propaganda Office and 2,343 (5.4%) by the Zhanggong district Bureau of Commerce. Others come from bureaus in Zhanggong district (e.g., Sports Bureau, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, Bureau of Taxation, Zhanggong district court, and government offices of Zhanggong’s sub-districts and townships.
The study found 99.3% of the 50c army are government employees posting from government websites and not, as is commonly believed, ordinary citizens paid piecemeal for their work. Of the 43,757 posts, only 281 were made by individuals or groups that could not be identified. The content of these posts was very similar to those that could be identified. The remaining were contributed by one of over 200 government agencies throughout the Zhanggong district. This included 9,159 posts or 20.9% made directly by the Zhanggong Internet Propaganda Office and 2,343 (5.4%) by the Zhanggong district Bureau of Commerce. Others come from bureaus in Zhanggong district (e.g., Sports Bureau, Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security, Bureau of Taxation, Zhanggong district court, and government offices of Zhanggong’s sub-districts and townships.
The postings were divided into six categories for the purposes of the study, (1) cheerleading and distraction, (2) factual news, (3) non-argumentative praise or suggestions, (4) argumentative praise or criticism (5) taunting of foreign countries (6) other personal posts, jokes, etc.
More than half of all posts were cheerleading for China and party leaders. Factual news was about 18%. The remainder was non-argumentative praise or suggestions such as improving housing and public welfare. Argumentative praise or criticism on controversial issues as part of a debate; praise (usually of the government) or criticism (usually of opponents of the government) taking a position or explaining why a particular viewpoint is correct or (more often) wrong. And taunting of foreign countries favorable comparisons of China to other countries; insults to other countries; taunting of pro-democracy, pro-West, pro-individual liberties, or pro-capitalist opinions within China.
==Further reading==
==Further reading==