Digital Shame as Sexual Governance: Rethinking Sexuality Regulation through Chinese Social Media Platforms

Zining Zhu

doi:10.54691/1y1h4n06

Authors

Zining Zhu

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54691/1y1h4n06

Keywords:

Digital shame governance, chinese social media, gender regulation, platform algorithms.

Abstract

This paper looks at how shame is used to control sexual expression on Chinese social media. It uses ideas from Foucault, Butler, Ahmed and others to study how platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu do not block content directly, but instead use algorithms, user reports and emotional responses to guide what is shown. The paper introduces the idea of “digital shame governance” to explain how shame becomes a tool shaped by both technology and public opinion. It is also used by platforms to make money. Another idea, “click-based sexual discipline,” shows how shame makes certain gender content more visible and popular, even while it limits what women can safely post. By looking at real cases, such as online bullying and feminist voices being silenced, the paper shows how women’s bodies are judged and controlled in these digital spaces. In the end, the study argues that sexual control online is not only about morals or technology, but also about business. Shame is now a kind of data that platforms use to get more attention and profit.

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