Activists translate Chinese social media posts to expose CCP propaganda

A decentralized network of activists is exposing the impact of China’s internal propaganda on its citizens to the outside world, reports The Diplomat.

The Great Translation Movement is a social media campaign of anonymous activists that translate Chinese social media posts into English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean and other languages. Their Twitter account has over 100,000 followers, and outsiders can contribute using the hashtag #TheGreatTranslationMovement.

According to an interview with Deutsche Welle, the purpose of TGTM is to raise awareness that China is not as nice as its propaganda says it is and how many people living their “are poisoned by arrogance, nationalism, cruelty, and a lack of sympathy.”

【Sacramento mass shooting】Top comments on Chinese state media People's Daily Overseas Edition (人民日报海外网) are filled with Chinese nationalists spewing out #antiUS hatred on innocent gun violence victims. #TheGreatTranslationMovement #大翻译运动 #ThisIsChina #ChinaExposed pic.twitter.com/sFtwVnhUYc

— The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动官方推号 (@TGTM_Official) April 5, 2022

Participants do not know each other names or whereabouts due to security concerns.

The dissidents were motivated by how the Chinese authorities skewed the narrative about the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s favor. Users and messages speaking against the war and supporting peace are heavily censored, while demonstrating a high tolerance for view that support Russia and belittle Ukraine.

Weibo comments about the Russian accusation against Ukrainian troops of executing Russian POWs. Note the OP is a KOL in military.#大翻译运动 #TheGreatTranslationMovement pic.twitter.com/iXyMyeaTE3

— The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动官方推号 (@TGTM_Official) April 7, 2022

One victory is over sexist comments by Chinese men about their desire to “shelter” young Ukrainian women – the more beautiful, the better. Chinese censors ignored these comments until TGTM activists began translating and sharing these vulgar posts for the outside world to see.

TGTM warns that China has increased its efforts to cultivate nationalism as a domestic propaganda tool to justify its policies in Xinjian, Hong Kong, and the lack of human rights improvements, and hopes its translations will show how well it has worked.

Chinese netizens claim victory after office of @SpeakerPelosi announced positive #COVID testing result that will postpone her April 10th #Taiwan visit #TheGreatTranslationMovement #大翻译运动 pic.twitter.com/saxDcXUz1O

— The Great Translation Movement 大翻译运动官方推号 (@TGTM_Official) April 7, 2022

Chinese state media outlets have attacked the movement as “a cognitive war” and a “smear campaign that is doomed to fail.”

TGTM activists see their noticing at all as an indicator of success, and their decentralized approach as a way to outmaneuver the CCP’s centralized propaganda apparatus.