Cyber-followers fuel 'micro-blog diplomacy'
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Undoubtedly, some people will find it untenable to match the amicable, personable "Lao Cai" who appears in cyberspace to the official who holds such a lofty position in real life. Insufficient understanding and confidence in our own cyber identities is the root of this problem.
There is no denying that the internet grants individuals freedom of expression otherwise restricted by the confines of actual society. For this reason, people should cherish their cyber identities. Common internet users who follow Cai should include him into their own "background". Likewise, if leaders like Cai have such a strong cyber identity, they should also incorporate their followers into their own networks. As the number of officials who trust their followers grows, the general mood of society will be improved. In the process, rule of law and adhering to moral guidelines must also be followed.
According to Professor Yu Jianrong, director of the Institute of Rural Development at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and a reputed micro-blogger, "one of the significant [features] of micro-blogs is that they have broken down fences between the leaders and ordinaries".
A few years ago, Time magazine named internet users (collectively "You") as its "Person of the Year" for the explosive growth and influence of user-generated Internet content since the early 2000s. If users can reconcile their cyber identities with their real-life positions in society, the distinctive features of the internet like equality, freedom and openness will more profoundly affect the choices they make in real life. In an era which the number of "followers" determines one's influence, this is an obvious step in the right direction towards responsible leadership and citizenship.
In an era where we are free to "follow" whomever we want, influential "backgrounds" are being created in society at all levels. These networks exist not due to behind-the-scenes power brokers but rather by modern democratic participation by individuals. The more "backgrounds" exist, the richer society will become as a whole.
Savvy bloggers may be familiar with the saying "No one knows you're a dog on the internet", used to describe the apparent lack of hierarchy and notion of human equality in cyberspace. Internet users should embrace this notion and not feel embarrassed to express themselves.
(This article was first written in Chinese and translated by Li Huiru.)
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