Tim Cheung (@TimCheung)

"Mid-July, #Belgian internet users who would type the keyword '#Xinjiang' into the YouTube search bar get videos from Chinese state-controlled media as recommended results. At the top of the search results are videos from CGTN and CGTN Français, followed by New China TV. #CGTN (China Global Television Network) is a state-run English-language news channel, while News China TV is part of #XinhuaNewsAgency, or #NewChinaNewsAgency, the official state press agency of the People’s Republic of China...The Chinese news dominance is also noticeable on Google News, again with the search word 'Xinjiang'. Last week, the search results for Belgian Internet users came from the official state press agency of #China and Le quotidien du peuple, the newspaper of the #Chinese #Communist Party. This data is aligned with the investigation on how #CGTN had risen since the ban of #RussiaToday on Youtube. That study zoomed in on coverage of the topic #Russia on #Youtube and has parallel findings as the coverage of #Xinjiang." https://crossover.social/online-chinese-media-offensive-also-reaches-belgium/