“Oprah of China” Shares How Young People and Microblogs Have Impacted China [VIDEO]

Dubbed the “Oprah of China,” Yang Lan is a journalist, talk-show hostess, and an entrepreneur who has experience living and working in the U.S and China. One of my friends sent me her TED video and I find it pretty engaging. Especially for folks who are trying to understand China.

In a nutshell, Yang Lan talks about how the younger generation is remaking China. Her speech emphasizes microblogs, both Sina Weibo and Tencent Weibo, in China which are used as a medium/voice for the younger generation in the country. And as most know by now, China isn’t exactly a country that embraces freedom of speech.

In Lan’s words, microblogs have become — to a certain extent — an outlet for the younger generation to express their emotions. Because it is the only outlet, messages from the younger generation can be strong and sometimes even violent. But because of these voices, microblogs also have a certain positive impact on Chinese society.

Issues discussed on microblogs include forced requisition of private property, bribery, fake beef made from brushed chicken meat, and cooking oil made from restaurant slops. Concerned voices from microblogs have applied pressure to the Chinese government, forcing it to react quickly to the public concerns.

Besides being a channel for youngsters to voice their opinion, microblogs are also used for social good. Lan gave two examples:

1. Microblogs were used to help rescue 500 kidnapped dogs in China. People donated money and volunteered themselves to stop the truck loaded with captured dogs. Thankfully the dogs were rescued.
2. A desperate dad sent a picture of his kidnapped son on Weibo and the message were seen retweeted and shared thousands of times by users until his son was found.

Lan ends by saying that the younger generation in China will help to transform the country while at the same time being transformed themselves. Her full video is below: