Abstract

One heated argument in recent years concerns whether requiring real name supervision on social media will inhibit users’ participation in discoursing online speech. The current study explores the impact of identification, perceived anonymity, perceived risk, and information credibility on participating in discussions on moral/ethical violation events on social network sites (SNS) in China. In this study, we constructed a model based on the literature and tested it on a sample of 218 frequent SNS users. The results demonstrate the influence of identification and perception of anonymity: although the relationship between the two factors is negative, both are conducive to participation in discussion on moral/ethical violation topics, and information credibility also has a positive impact. The results confirmed the significance of risk perception on comments posted about moral/ethical violation. Our results have reference value for identity management and internet governance. Policies regarding users’ real names on the internet need to take into account the reliability of the identity authentication mechanism, as well as netizens’ perceptions of privacy about their identity and the necessity of guaranteeing content and information reliability online. We also offer some suggestions for future research, with a special emphasis on applicability to different cultures, contexts, and social networking sites.

Highlights

  • The complex integration of the internet and the real world means that in both the West and China, cyberspace has become the most convenient place for free expression, which is constrained by social norms and conformity (Lipschultz, 2018)

  • We analyzed the data in two steps: first, the measurement and data were tested for reliability and validity, and we drew conclusions about the structural relationship based on the measurement instruments with desirable psychometric properties

  • With the supportive results for H1b, H1c, H2a, and H2b, the current study shows that the influence of online identification and perception of anonymity are both conducive to participation in discussion about moral/ethical violation topics

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Summary

Introduction

The complex integration of the internet and the real world means that in both the West and China, cyberspace has become the most convenient place for free expression, which is constrained by social norms and conformity (Lipschultz, 2018). Online public opinion is becoming the mainstream public opinion domain in China (Yu, 2017). China arguably presents an interesting case study on social networking sites (SNS) because it limits social media communication on non-domestic sites, establishing a microcosm of SNS (Sullivan, 2014). The expression of online public opinion is rooted in the social and cultural background of real-life society. In Chinese culture, there has always been an emphasis on “denying self and returning to propriety”, personal behaviors should be “gentle, modest and courteous” and expressions should be humble and low-key (Chen, 2014).

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