[其他花邊新聞] How a red dot kept readers from getting the full story on Huawei

Quest

How a red dot kept Chinese-Canadian readers from getting the full story on Huawei

VANCOUVER—Users of China’s hugely popular social-media app WeChat know it well: the big red dot.
The dot lets them know the news article they want to read is no longer available. It says the link is suspected of phishing or malware and has been blocked, but in reality the dot often appears when the Chinese government doesn’t want a story seen.

Shoppers at an Apple store in Beijing in 2017. In Canada, media companies can write what they want — but their stories can be deleted from WeChat, which is subject to Chinese censorship rules.  (Ng Han Guan / The Associated Press File)

Launched in 2011 by Chinese company Tencent Holdings, WeChat now has a billion monthly active users worldwide and is an essential platform for a plethora of media outlets, communities and businesses.
Last week the dot came and went during the bail hearing of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei Technologies. Meng was arrested in Vancouver on Dec. 1 at the request of American authorities over fraud allegations. She was released on $10-million bail to await an extradition ordeal.
But immigrants from China who still use WeChat in Canada to get their news noticed the red dot appeared when things weren’t looking good for Meng. Arrested, in legal limbo and the subject of worldwide attention, it looked as though she could be spending the next few months in custody.

When she was down and out, the red dot was there blocking Chinese-language news stories about the arrest — but once Meng’s fortunes changed and she was released on bail, the red dot went back into hiding and WeChat users could read all about her.

Quest

These migrants often chose to use the red-dot instead of integrating into our society and be part of the mainstream, accepting mainsteam media.

Most of them chose not to learn English or French, even though these 2 are our official languages.

Their social circles are severely constrained, limited to what they can see, smell or hear within their circles...not mainsteam society's.

If I'm setting policies for immigation in Canada, I'd make sure to add one more rule (anyone between 12 and 75 yrs old must past an official language aptitude test 2 yrs after they landed); Those who want to swear in to become Canadians must show proof that they have contributed to the society (local volunteering work in local NGO, etc.).