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China’s local governments shut down social media accounts as budgets shrink
Once seen as propaganda tool, agency apps and websites disappear as funding cuts, staff shortages and internet trolls make maintenance a ‘burden’.
Dozens of cities in the provinces of Guangdong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan, Shaanxi, Shandong and Jiangsu, as well as Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, have announced plans so far this year to cut back on government department websites, social media accounts and smartphone applications, research by the Post shows. The streamlining efforts come less than six months after the Cyberspace Administration of China issued a directive ordering local governments to consolidate “similar and duplicate functions”, as many online platforms were white elephants or even “zombies” controlled by internet trolls. Reductions in staff headcounts at local government agencies have also made the situation worse, as many have had to cut contract workers who are typically responsible for noncore functions such as updating websites and social media accounts.
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