Students in China graded by number of 'friends' on WeChat

中國學生的分數依微信「朋友」數

Professor sets assignment for students to make as many contacts as possible TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Students at one university in China have been set a graded assignment to add as many friends on social messaging app WeChat as possible, according to a BBC report. A professor at the University of Economics and Law in China’s Henan Province set students the task as part of a core module on social media management. The assignment counts for 30 percent of each student’s total grade, the BBC reports. Students at the university are divided on whether the endeavor is useful, or even reasonable. Some began contacting Chinese media about the issue and Pear Video took up the story, which has now attracted thousands of comments on microblogging website Sina Weibo. Social media users are expressing their opinions on the matter under the hashtag #GradedOnNumberOfWeChatFriends. The BBC quotes one commenter: “WeChat friends are not equal to real friends. Is this not just malicious marketing?” The university defended the course by stating the task helped provide students with basic skills in social media operation. WeChat is the most widely-used social messaging service in China, but its functions extend beyond contacting friends. The app is a ubiquitous hub for almost all daily operations, including making payments on groceries, shopping online and hailing a taxi. The centralization of daily activity has allowed Chinese (state-owned) companies to not only better decide how to advertise current consumer products, but what products they should be building and selling in the future, a tech executive told Business Insider. In addition, private messages sent on the app can be scoured by authorities for anti-Communist Party sentiment. One citizen was arrested in 2017 after making a joke to friends in a private conversation on the app about a scandal involving a senior government official.
Ryan Drillsma, Taiwan News, Staff Writer
2019-03-14