China Censors Pessimism, Not Just Politics

China’s internet regulator is suspending or banning influencers for promoting 'defeatist' ideas—like less work, not marrying, or noting lower quality of life—under a two‑month campaign against 'excessively pessimistic sentiment.' The move frames mood itself as a target for content control, beyond traditional political dissent. — If states normalize mood policing, speech governance expands from truth and politics to emotional tone, reshaping platform rules, public debate, and civil liberties.