Totally agree. I put no stock in the editorial. The real question is the data in the paper I linked. On first read, it looks solid. Of course the question is whether Weibo data are accurate and trustable. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to think that the CCP could manipulate the publicly available data. Unfortunately, there's probably no way for an average person to verify any of it, so we either take them at their word or not. My biggest problem with the paper is that the authors clearly have an axe to grind, and for that reason it doesn't seem like they're setting out to test a null hypothesis, but rather prove a point.Smacks so heavily of CCP propaganda I doubt they could have written it better themselves.
I re-read my comment and wanted to say sorry. I wasn't being snarky at you, only the article. (I'm also replying to your other comment) I don't think we'll ever get scientific proof. I'm not qualified to really understand that paper, but the major issue for me is that data available now will have been vetted by the CCP. Back before the great firewall became known, I think a lot of tech people were deeply cynical about how feasible it was to control "content" or information the internet. I don't think there's any doubt about how tightly all media including the internet is being controlled now. We're all just blasting at each other from our own respective corners these days, backed-up by our own biased or tainted sources. At least in "The West" ™®©℠ you can generally find both sides and perspectives in between to get some semblance of balance... Weibo specifically: A History of Censorship on China's Weibo Social Network - The Atlantic - 2019 pre-pandemic China's most censored social media giant is fined for not censoring enough - CNN - 2021 Of course the question is whether Weibo data are accurate and trustable