How China’s internet police use adorable cartoon icons to intimidate its Netizens. CDT shows the lovable but sinister icons, designed to keep online dissent in check. Repression with a big smile.
February 18, 2006
The Discussion: 11 Comments
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1
By Ivan
Ah-ha. And while those two smurflike will smash anyone who tries to read or write about the T-square massacre, they won’t lift a finger to control or to guide all the idiot boys who waste what’s left of their brains playing video games all day.
February 18, 2006 @ 10:20 pm | Comment
2
By Other Lisa
Oh, that is CREEPY! Big-eyed cartoon thought police, keeping the masses in line..brings to mind an acid trip at Disneyland.
Not that I have any first-hand experience with such things, of course…
February 18, 2006 @ 10:22 pm | Comment
3
By Ivan
Just imagine them as the twin children of Nurse Ratched, telling you:
“Medication time! Medication time!”
February 18, 2006 @ 10:47 pm | Comment
4
By ACB
Is it just me, or does Chacha look like she’s about to burst into tears.
Maybe she’s jus read the LONG list of things that she has to police and is busy trying to work out whether talking about crime is a crime.
February 19, 2006 @ 9:03 am | Comment
5
By ACB
Why are they standing on flying manhole covers?
February 19, 2006 @ 9:08 am | Comment
6
By Gordon
There’s nothing new about these cartoons except for their mission.
These are the same cartoons you see plastered along the sidewalks drawing your attention to the responsibility of safe driving or police officers with radar guns.
In the supermarkets or public restaurants you see them warning you to take responsibility for your personal items so as to keep them safe from theives.
Perhaps I should collect some of the Indiana State Police advertisements so as to provide examples of how to create intimidating public announcements.
February 19, 2006 @ 9:08 am | Comment
7
By ACB
China’s not the first and won’t be the last country to have cartoon cops.
http://www.police.pref.hiroshima.jp/041/soudan/
February 19, 2006 @ 9:12 am | Comment
8
By Feng 37
I’m not a PR professional, so I ask TPD: now that the CPC has these logos/mascots, what would be the CPC’s next step in exporting their free market authoritarianist ideology?
And would our next step then be to culture jam this branding campaign of theirs? Should we redesign/pervert these little cartoon fascists? I’d gladly put something like that up on my website.
February 19, 2006 @ 9:55 am | Comment
9
By Peter
Love the way the icons move with you as you scroll through a page. Just like those Big Brother posters in 1984, with eyes that follow you.
February 19, 2006 @ 12:24 pm | Comment
10
By Gordon
Peter, nobody is watching. It’s your imagination.😛
February 19, 2006 @ 6:59 pm | Comment
11
By Skystreaker
Feng, funny. I like that.
February 20, 2006 @ 6:15 am | Comment