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Pay-for-praise is the latest craze sweeping across Chinese social media Pay-for-praise is the latest craze sweeping across Chinese social media
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Compliment-centric, pay-for-praise chat groups are the latest craze to sweep Chinese social media as exhausted students seek reassurance from random strangers online – for a small fee, of course.Compliment-centric, pay-for-praise chat groups are the latest craze to sweep Chinese social media as exhausted students seek reassurance from random strangers online – for a small fee, of course.
Seen as a response to online negativity and trolling, Chinese social media networks like WeChat, Douban and QQ are now hosting “kuakuaqun,” Mandarin for “praising groups,” where users pay somewhere in the region of 15 yuan ($2.23) for three minutes or 25 yuan ($3.72) for five minutes of praise.Seen as a response to online negativity and trolling, Chinese social media networks like WeChat, Douban and QQ are now hosting “kuakuaqun,” Mandarin for “praising groups,” where users pay somewhere in the region of 15 yuan ($2.23) for three minutes or 25 yuan ($3.72) for five minutes of praise.
The cheesy but positive messages are aimed at turning any random input from a given user into an often outlandish and over-the-top compliment, with a view to making the user feel better through the compliment itself or the ridiculousness of it all.The cheesy but positive messages are aimed at turning any random input from a given user into an often outlandish and over-the-top compliment, with a view to making the user feel better through the compliment itself or the ridiculousness of it all.
For example, at 2pm, one user posted “Just got up, good morning everyone!” to which another user replied, “You must care about your health very much as you sleep for so long, praise you!”For example, at 2pm, one user posted “Just got up, good morning everyone!” to which another user replied, “You must care about your health very much as you sleep for so long, praise you!”
“I cannot handle computer science!” another message reads. “Your heart is too pure to hold any complex algorithms,” a random internet stranger replies.“I cannot handle computer science!” another message reads. “Your heart is too pure to hold any complex algorithms,” a random internet stranger replies.
Several compliment-themed hashtags have trended on Weibo and have been viewed more than 30 million times.Several compliment-themed hashtags have trended on Weibo and have been viewed more than 30 million times.
A CNBC reporter was invited into one group, and upon telling the other users that they had just moved to a new place, was alone often, and was learning Chinese, they were immediately bombarded with messages of positive reinforcement.A CNBC reporter was invited into one group, and upon telling the other users that they had just moved to a new place, was alone often, and was learning Chinese, they were immediately bombarded with messages of positive reinforcement.
“There is no limit to your learning. You are a really studious person. I believe you will master Chinese well in the future,” another wrote.“There is no limit to your learning. You are a really studious person. I believe you will master Chinese well in the future,” another wrote.
Those behind the groups see them as an, albeit short-lived, antidote to online trolling and anonymized hostility often associated with life on the internet. READ MORE: Promoting PORN? Chinese cyber police accuse bodybuilder of indecency over bikini VIDEO
“I think this [rapid growth of members] really shows there’s a demand for living positively. But it is often left unmet,” Zhang Hehe, a sophomore in Renmin University of China, told Xinhua. Zhang has established multiple such flattery groups, maxing out the 500-person membership limit on each one within a matter of hours. Those who support the groups see them as an antidote to online trolling and anonymized hostility often associated with life on the internet.
Moderators are reportedly employed to keep things light and fun and remind people of when their allotted time is coming to an end.
The trend apparently began on the Douban social media site in 2014 but has witnessed a renaissance of sorts in the past few weeks, according to the South China Morning Post. The “praise each other group” reportedly gained 10,000 new members just last week.The trend apparently began on the Douban social media site in 2014 but has witnessed a renaissance of sorts in the past few weeks, according to the South China Morning Post. The “praise each other group” reportedly gained 10,000 new members just last week.
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