Chinese review platform Douban suspends reply function amid Beijing’s crackdown on social media

Douban cited ‘technical reasons’ for suspending its reply function until Sept 13. The platform has become a popular online meeting place for users to discuss the latest gossip and updates in China’s entertainment industry. — SCMP

Chinese social media platform Douban, known for its community of liberal bookworms and film fanatics, has suspended its reply function for a week for “technical reasons”, raising speculation that the service had done so in response to Beijing’s sweeping crackdown on the country’s social networks, online fan clubs and entertainment industry.

Users of Douban will not be able to reply to any posts and articles on the platform until Sept 13, according to a notice that pops up whenever users try to reply to a published post. The platform has become a popular online meeting place for users to discuss the latest gossip and updates in China’s entertainment industry.