Delayering: An Approach of Internet Governance

Abstract

Communication, as an important part of state governance, is a critical guarantee to maintain the security of mainstream ideology. At present, the communication system and mechanism must adapt to the Internet age through reform and innovation. This paper proposes that the objective of the delayering reform of communication system is to guarantee the Chinese Communist Party’s control over public opinion in the Internet age and the security of its ideology. The current bureaucratic communication system, with many problems exposed, is no longer able to adapt to the characteristics of mass communication in the Internet ageand lies in great danger of completely losing control of online public opinion. The characteristics of online media determine that the delayering of communication system needs Internet thinking. Based on a full understanding of how Internet brings structural changes to news, social discourse system, and public opinion, we need to adopt the Internet spirits including equality, openness, dialogue, participation, iteration, socialization, and big data to form new methods and ways of thinking for communication.