Lanzhou (CNS) – Terms such as "Weibo complex (a person refreshing Weibo page at an extremely high frequency)，""follower," "@" and "retweet" are proof that the new Twitter-like "Weibo" form of micro-blogging has significantly enlarged our Internet vocabulary.
In an age flooded with information, the public has benefited substantially from the rise of weibo-enhanced communication, empowering people with freedom of speech and public supervision over society.
The medium has also served as means of achieving altruistic deeds.
"Dear bloggers, please help me get over my current difficulties," posted a netizen known as "alcohol narcotizes my heart" on August 19. Two days later, rounds of retweets finally got the attention of local police, who saved the young man – a migrant from Sichuan in search of work – from an illegal pyramid scheme in Zhangye, Gansu Province.
Many such encouraging cases can be found on Weibo. One story involved 31 domestic companies and dozens of individuals, who ordered extra potatoes in Malan Village of Xianyang in response to a post by the village administration "asking for help" on its Weibo profile.
Weibo's influence is driven by the low threshold of its accounts and the wide range of its platform, which are extremely helpful in locating abducted children, social charity and supervision, Li Huimin, subdean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Lanzhou University, told CNS on Thursday.
However, there is a negative side.
"It can also serve as a hotbed for rumors," said Professor Li. For example, the falsified piece of news that an airplane taking off in Urumqi was hijacked and forced to land in Lanzhou was astonishing, he said.
"The advent of Weibo and other forms of new media has satisfied the public desire to express freely and participate in social affairs. In order to stop ill-intended rumors, the fundamental approach should be to raise social awareness about media morality," added Professor Li.
