Growing misinformation about gun violence is permeating Chinese-language social media, a new report shows.
The report, released Tuesday by the civil rights nonprofit group Chinese for Affirmative Action, pointed to five dominant narratives emerging — largely on WeChat — including the idea that banning guns is a step toward authoritarianism, while gun ownership represents “democracy.”
Another popular belief the report surfaced is that U.S. law enforcement isn’t obligated to protect people, so gun ownership is a necessary element of self-defense, particularly in an era of anti-Asian hate.
“We are worried the same tragedies will happen again and again,” said Jinxia Niu, the program manager of CAA’s Chinese digital engagement initiative, speaking about gun violence.
Researchers identified over 100 widely circulated posts, amassing roughly 2 million views, featuring pro-gun misinformation across several social media platforms. Just under half of the misinformation and disinformation circulated on WeChat, a platform with a feed that includes public posts. An estimated three-quarters of the Chinese American community uses the app, the report said.
The report looked into the spread of gun violence disinformation over 23 months from January 2022 to December 2023.
Other key narratives found mirror American right-wing conspiracies, such as the idea that gunmen in mass shootings are often Black, people of color or transgendered, and are affiliated with Democrats; that Democrats’ gun control policies have led to increased crime and shootings; and that “good guys with guns” have the ability to prevent crime.
In some cases, previous experiences with censorship and restrictions of free speech make Chinese Americans vulnerable to such narratives. The belief that gun ownership is an “indicator for freedom,” for example, often stems from criticisms of China’s government, Niu said. Additionally, pro-gun messaging in Western media often warns of the…
Read the full article here
