Changes in Social Network Usage Habits and Information Acquisition Methods Over the Past Year

Since moving to Japan last year, accessing the international internet has become smoother, and lifestyle changes have brought about significant shifts in my use of SNS and channels for information acquisition compared to before.

Reduced Usage of Chinese SNS

The most notable change is the significant reduction in the use of domestic SNS.

On one hand, several of my SNS accounts have been banned in recent years, allowing me to view but not speak. The functionality is incomplete. Over time, this became uninteresting.

More importantly, I find the content on domestic SNS increasingly dull.

Weibo is supposed to serve as a public information platform; hot searches should focus on significant news, especially in the political and economic fields. However, these two domains have long been tightly controlled—the former has always been a taboo topic, and the latter is becoming equally forbidden from being criticized.

Remaining hot searches are often overwhelmingly boring entertainment topics. Not only do you not recognize the associated "celebrities," but the content itself is also extremely dull.

People from the entertainment industry aren’t prohibited from trending, but such news should have public value. For instance, with the fires burning in California right now, if a celebrity criticized government departments for negligence, lashed out at the mayor or governor, or released videos from the fire scene introducing local conditions... these would have public and news value.

But what are the hot topics domestically now? You probably know. An obscure D-list celebrity eating spicy barbecue and crying can make the hot search list (I made up this example). Even in the face of disasters, all a celebrity can do is repost official media’s positive propaganda, accompanied by a slogan like "Fight on XX! Praying for XX!"

Is there any need to view this content? Would you lose anything by not watching?

I’m also becoming less active on WeChat. I used to eagerly share opinions in my friend circle, partly to filter out the Red Guards and delete them early, and partly to show that some issues deserve more focus amid tranquil times.

But now I can’t be bothered, because what needed saying has already been said, and what could be said has already been said. Those who can still remain serene won’t be convinced by words; only personal experience will work.

I’ve quit more than half of my WeChat groups. The more groups you join, the higher the chance of encountering idiots. Their nonsense in the groups hurts my eyes, and typing out rebuttals hurts my hands. Better to avoid it altogether.

There’s little you can vent about in these groups. Those who can’t stand it are quietly preparing to leave; those who can endure will continue venting verbally. It’s pointless to say more; each to their own fate.

Increased Reading of Foreign Media

Even though I’ve left that land, I still keep track of developments there. Ironically, I rely on foreign media to gain news about my own country.

Domestic news is long dead. After a vicious incident or disaster occurs, no media delves deep into the locale for live reports, nor are there in-depth features and reports afterward. All you can expect is a blue-and-white notice giving you a rough overview.

The perspectives of other witnesses, the background of the news event, the aftermath... all these are gone.

Although foreign media dare to write, they ultimately lack field access, first-hand information, and official data are increasingly scarce and sensitive.

This is undeniably a great pity.

I subscribed to Initium Media and got a year of WSJ for free. I also subscribed to The Economist at half price.

Currently, I rely on these media outlets to understand what’s happening in the world: using Reuters for brief updates, reading about domestic topics through The Initium, WSJ, and NYT, and gaining a deep understanding of some news through The Economist.

My English has finally reached a point where I can read the original text of The Economist with basic fluency. It’s not especially good, but it suffices. Maybe someday I’ll share how I learned English.

After learning Japanese for nearly a year, I’m gradually able to understand Japanese news, but I’m not yet aware of any high-quality texts like The Economist in Japanese media.

Of course, reading copious amounts of serious content daily is truly exhausting, so I still occasionally open TikTok for some light-hearted amusement while in the restroom, enjoying both the entertainment and the humor it brings.