ABSTRACT
Sina Weibo, the Chinese-operated microblog service, has received a great deal of attention over the past decade. For some years, media and academic analysis suggested that China was experiencing a "microblogging revolution" in which Weibo would continue to grow and would have a significant effect on Chinese society. Individual internet services, such as Weibo and Weixin, are best considered as "gangly network of tendrils and tangles". The market for online services is characterised by rapid change. Some users remain loyal to their preferred SNS or messaging service, even when most of their friends and colleagues have moved onto a newer or more popular one. Since Xi Jinping began his presidency in November 2012, the Chinese government has tightened its ideological control and intensified indoctrination of the public. In December 2012, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) issued the Decision on Strengthening Network Information Protection.
