this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2025
436 points (98.0% liked)

World News

48009 readers
2068 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

"I've been warned not to talk about it," the woman wrote, before revealing snippets of the day she says she was arrested for publishing gay erotica.

"I'll never forget it - being escorted to the car in full view, enduring the humiliation of stripping naked for examination in front of strangers, putting on a vest for photos, sitting in the chair, shaking with fear, my heart pounding."

The handle, Pingping Anan Yongfu, is among at least 8 in recent months which have shared accounts on Chinese social media platform Weibo of being arrested for publishing gay erotic fiction. As authors recounted their experiences, dozens of lawyers offered pro bono help.

At least 30 writers, nearly all of them women in their 20s, have been arrested across the country since February, a lawyer defending one told the BBC. Many are out on bail or awaiting trial, but some are still in custody. Another lawyer told the BBC that many more contributors were summoned for questioning.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com 135 points 1 day ago (4 children)

Ah yes, this is the democracy some people talk about

[–] blackbelt352@lemmy.world 60 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Authoritarians gonna authoritarian regardless of economic model.

It’s funny though, because despite some leftover socialist aesthetic its hard to get more capitalist. I mean it’s pretty obvious state capitalism. You can’t have billionaires 80 years into your “socialist project”.

[–] ObtuseDoorFrame@lemmy.zip 22 points 1 day ago

You forgot to put quotes around democracy.

[–] ProvableGecko@lemmy.world 16 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (2 children)

Don't be silly, democracy is only when private companies do all encompassing AI powered surveillance.

If you’ve left a comment on a YouTube video, a new website claims it might be able to find every comment you’ve ever left on any video you’ve ever watched. Then an AI can build a profile of the commenter and guess where you live, what languages you speak, and what your politics might be.

According to the developer, they’ve provided the tool to cops in Portugal, Belgium, and “other countries in Europe.” They told 404 Media that the website is meant for private investigators, journalists, and cops. 

https://archive.md/buuA6

[–] RaivoKulli@sopuli.xyz 20 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Don't Chinese private mega corporations do this too?

[–] ProvableGecko@lemmy.world -2 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

Chinese corporations do only what government allows them to do, any more and the CEO "takes an extended vacation".

[–] RaivoKulli@sopuli.xyz 22 points 22 hours ago

Well yeah and the government really wants to pry into every aspect of your life. So you'll have the same shit

[–] kami@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 15 hours ago

Now we only need to find a source of how many lgbtq+ fiction writers have been arrested in those same countries and we can proceed with the comparison.

[–] DeathByBigSad@sh.itjust.works 11 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Democracies can also ban porn. See: South Korea, India, Ukraine, Malaysia, Singapore, Mongolia, etc...

Its a conservatism issue.

[–] ayyy@sh.itjust.works 10 points 7 hours ago

You can add about a third of the USA at this post as well.