China’s President is allegedly taking Dictatorship Digital

Image result for Study the Great Nation

China’s government is forcing millions of people to download an app promoting president Xi Jinping and the country’s ruling Communist Party, according to reports.

Image result for Xi Jinping

Tens of millions of people use the ‘Study the Great Nation’ (Xuexi Qiangguo) app, which allows users to earn points by following news about Mr Xi, such as watching videos of his international visits or answering quiz questions about economic policies.

Related image

Critics warn the app’s popularity is engineered by Community Party officials, who put pressure on citizens to use the app and punish those who ignore it. Study the Great Nation, which is a pun on Mr Xi’s name (Xuexi can be read as “Study Xi”), was developed by technology giant Alibaba and launched earlier this year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping reacts during a news conference at the end of the Belt and Road Forum at the Yanqi Lake International Conference Center, north of Beijing Monday, May 15, 2017. Xi has announced ambitious plans for Asian and European governments to work more closely on finance, law enforcement and a wide array of other issues under a Beijing-led trade initiative. (Nicolas Asfouri/Pool Photo via AP)

It has since become the most downloaded app for Apple devices in the country, surpassing messaging app WeChat and viral media app TikTok, with state media claiming it has more than 100 million registered users.

Image result for app downloads

Thousands of communist party officials have reportedly been ordered to ensure citizens use the app, with schools criticising students with low scores and companies ranking employees based on their usage.

Image result for app downloads

Many employers reportedly require workers to submit daily screenshots to document their progress on the app or deduct pay if the app is not used frequently. “It’s a perfect example of propaganda in the Xi era… that appeals to China’s large online population,” Manya Koetse told AFP.

Related image

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *