China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) has warned that foreign intelligence agencies are increasingly using online games, anime communities, and video platforms to influence young people and undermine national values.
According to the ministry, such platforms are being exploited to spread historical nihilism, extreme individualism, and subversive narratives that weaken cultural confidence and national identity among youth. China currently has over 196 million underage internet users, with the age of first internet exposure continuing to decline.
The MSS identified multiple online risks, including misleading content presented as “niche culture” or “awakening knowledge,” which oversimplifies complex issues and promotes materialism and confrontation. Another concern involves extremist ideas masked as violent heroism, encouraging contempt for law and social norms.
The ministry emphasized the need for coordinated action by families, schools, online platforms, and state authorities to strengthen digital literacy, improve content monitoring, and protect minors from harmful ideological influence threatening China’s political and cultural security.
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