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Public Discourse on Genetically Modified Foods in the Mobile Sphere: Framing Risks, Opportunities, and Responsibilities in Mobile Social Media in China

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Mobile Media, Political Participation, and Civic Activism in Asia

Abstract

Using a content-analytic approach, this chapter systematically examined over 2,000 mobile social media posts on two popular Chinese platforms – Weibo and WeChat – regarding genetically modified foods. While most posts indicated strong opposition to these foods, more than 40 % of the posts did not provide any reasons for their opposition or cite any specific risks. Most posts viewed the government, lawmakers, and scientists as those responsible for guaranteeing the safety of genetically modified foods. This cyberactivism in mobile social media goes beyond the scope of public health and extends to discussions about human rights, the government’s ability to supervise the market, and even national security. The results suggest that this anti-GM-foods activism may have contributed to the Chinese government’s decision to take a slow, cautious approach to approving the sale of GM crops and foods in the country.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA

    Nan Yu

  2. Elon University, Elon, NC, USA

    Qian Xu

Authors
  1. Nan Yu
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  2. Qian Xu
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Correspondence to Nan Yu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA

    Ran Wei

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Note

In this chapter, for the sake of strengthening linguistic simplicity, we used the generic term, GM foods, to incorporate GM foods, crops, and organisms.

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Yu, N., Xu, Q. (2016). Public Discourse on Genetically Modified Foods in the Mobile Sphere: Framing Risks, Opportunities, and Responsibilities in Mobile Social Media in China. In: Wei, R. (eds) Mobile Media, Political Participation, and Civic Activism in Asia. Mobile Communication in Asia: Local Insights, Global Implications. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0917-8_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-0917-8_5

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  • Print ISBN: 978-94-024-0915-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-024-0917-8

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