Sexy Police Officers: Chinese Prisons and Social Media Presence

• In Event: Roundtable: Media and Perceptions of Crime

Abstract

This research explores the various strategies of social media-based public engagement utilized by Chinese prisons, examining how these strategies build on the public's sense of loyalty towards authority figures, thereby boosting the carceral system's integrity and credibility. The study examines the three genres of social media posts: slice-of-life videos offering a glimpse through the veil of mystery that surrounds Chinese prions; videos appealing to the younger generation's taste in pop culture and beauty standards, mainly via memes; and deterrence-focused media that reinforces the divide between the general public and the dangerous “criminals.” The study draws its data from a comprehensive cross-examination of the social media accounts of individual Chinese provinces using the popular apps WeChat, Douyin, and Weibo. This study critically reviews how these media strategies aim to project a humane, trustworthy, engaging image of the penal system to the public, while simultaneously emphasizing the authority, righteousness, and masculinity of the correctional officers. The findings suggest that these strategies are largely successful in attracting positive engagement and feedback from the general public; user comments express praise and admiration for–and envy of–the police officers as embodiments of the “ideal” citizen.

Authors

• Yuan Gu, University of California, San Diego

• Kawain Lo, The Pennsylvania State University