The principled machine: A sociopolitical inquiry of mobile voting in Chinese society

Abstract

This chapter presents an explanation of the Chinese government's understanding of and response to an emerging sociality in Chinese digital space. By drawing on an example of a Chinese entertainment show - Super Girls - the chapter demonstrates how a Chinese TV station makes use of mobile technology to promote a new form of tele-participation in order to expand its range and audience and generate high ratings. The chapter then presents two contrasting views of the establishment of mobile voting in entertainment shows. Here, it is suggested that the advancement of communication technology and the combination of old and new media promotes a new participatory experience for Chinese people that is creating brand new notions of viewership, ownership, and storytelling. Finally, the chapter will attempt to demonstrate that the Chinese government is trying to define and restrain social media as a principled machine with exemplary functions in reaction to the changes.