The “Safety Valve” Effect: Grassroots Criticism, Perceived Freedom of Expression, and Citizen Satisfaction in China

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session I
  In Interactive Paper Session: Political Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Criticisms of the government are prevalent in the Chinese cyberspace. They serve as “safety valves” for venting public dissatisfaction without challenging the central authority. Through conditional tolerance of criticisms, the Chinese government attempts to present the image of a “free” Internet to its citizens. This study examines if exposure to grassroots criticism will influence people’s perception of freedom of speech, and subsequently citizen satisfaction. Findings from a between-subject experiment indicate that exposure to grassroots criticism triggered by online news indeed increases perceived freedom of speech. However, whether the heightened freedom of speech perception will lead to citizen satisfaction depends on news genres.

Authors

• Tianjiao Wang, City University of Hong Kong

• Fei Chris Shen, City U of Hong Kong