Human Flesh Search Engine: Instances

Below are pages dedicated to some of the major themes that have risen through instances of the Human Flesh Search Engine being utilized. In each section you will find once-anonymous individuals or crimes which have been unmasked through the research power and knowledge of Chinese netizens. Utilizing microblogs and forums, netizens have been able to uncover the identity of various individuals they find to be "in the wrong," often bringing about consequences unto the victims. The summaries in the various sections below are just that - shortened summaries. For more detailed analysis of these stories, please read my research paper.

Furthermore, the sheer size and composition of the internet in China is very unique and the demographics behind who is logging on are part of the reason why these instances can occur specifically in China. For more information on the internet in China, please read section one of my research paper.

Netizens vs. Corruption
In this section you will read about corrupt Chinese bureaucrats who have been brought to justice through the sheer power of Chinese netizens. In some cases, netizens examined photos and online documents to uncover cases of corruption and money laundering, bringing about dissent and a want for retribution. In some cases Chinese officials have commended netizens for their investigative work.

Netizens vs. Animal Cruelty
In this section, animal cruelty is examined. Cases here deal with the animal abuse by anonymous individuals. Netizens have been able to uncover the identity of these anonymous individuals, often through examining photos and video of the acts committed, and in some cases brought about offline punishments to these individuals. This section delves into the theme of the power of uncovering one's identity, and doing away with the phrase "on the internet, no one knows you're a dog;" examining just how anonymous one can be on the internet.

Human Flesh Nationalism
In this section netizens target dissenters of Chinese nationalism. Examples include the targeting of Tibetans who boycotted the Olympic torch relay in 2008, a Chinese international student studying in America who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and one girl who spoke out in the aftermath of the Sichuan Earthquake of 2008.

What is Human Flesh Search?

Human Flesh Search (HFS) is a recent, unique phenomenon on the Chinese internet. Comprising thousands of forum, entertainment, and social media websites and mobilizing the overwhelming number of Chinese internet users, HFS is able to quickly find obscure information and identify seemingly anonymous internet personalities. Through clever investigative work, online vigilantes hunt down an individual's identity with the goal of bringing about "justice" - often getting the individual fired, shamed, or simply punished. Those exposed through the search engine lose all anonymity, with personal information displayed to people all over the world. On the other hand, those who seek and reveal this information have the luxury to hide behind aliases. As the internet in China continues to expand and become accessible to a wider net of the Chinese population, it is argued that the power of HFS will need to be reined in.

Contact

If you would like to contact me for any reason, or have come across a relevant article or piece of research on the subject matter, please feel free to e-mail me.

Email: vincentcapone@gmail.com

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