A short video that collected multiple recorded conversations during the Shanghai epidemic was widely reposted on Chinese social media and was quickly blocked. However, the censorship does not appear to have stopped the video from spreading.
This is a short video of less than 6 minutes, mainly black and white aerial photography of Shanghai city, accompanied by multiple audio clips of the city's epidemic. After the film was released, it was swiped on various Chinese social media on Friday (April 22), and was immediately deleted from the entire network.
According to Deutsche Welle on the 23rd, the author of the film "Forever Strawberry Farm" said when he released the video that he "selected part of the audio of more than 20 events in early April" and "made a video as an objective and true record as much as possible. Come and remember these voices in April, and I hope everyone can make it through." However, even such an uncommented video cannot escape the bad luck of being deleted.
Not only the video, but the words "Voice of April" were quickly banned, and the original author's official account and video account were deleted. It is not surprising that articles or videos documenting or commenting on the epidemic are censored in China, but this video has triggered a phenomenal spread of "the more you block, the more you retweet."
A screenshot released by "China Digital Times" shows that Forever Strawberry Garden issued a statement on Saturday, saying that he was also surprised that things would develop to this level, and appealed: "I hope everyone will stop reposting or persuade friends you know to stop. Sended".
Many netizens commented on the video as "gentle," "tearful," and even "positive," and they all said they couldn't understand why the video was deleted.
In response to the deletion of "April Voice", Hu Xijin, the former editor-in-chief of China's state-run Global Times, commented on Weibo: "It's been a long time since the lockdown, Shanghai people have some grievances, and there needs to be a channel for release." It seems: "The deletion of posts by network administrators does not mean that local governments do not pay attention to opinions. On the contrary, expressing opinions on the Chinese Internet is more effective than complaining in Western countries. The reality in China is often like this: while deleting posts, While the government pays attention to the content of the posts and the sentiment conveyed, efforts to improve will follow."
Hu Xijin also said: "The Internet was invented by the West, and it has a tailor-made relationship with their system. When it enters China, it needs to be 'Sinicized' to a certain extent, and it needs to be connected with the reality here. China's network management must have, otherwise the Internet will be Will 'transform' China politically. Some deletions are also necessary."
Others have begun to worry that the "Voice of April" that now resounds in the sky will eventually be forgotten after Shanghai is unblocked.