Recently a series of Baidu “Post Bar” Crushing incidents have attracted our attention as an interesting, if not disturbing representation of Chinese Net Culture. It is important to note that Baidu “Post Bar” is an absolute cultural force online, especially as a host for some of the most active popular singer fan clubs. I discussed this phenomena around “Super Girl” Li Yu Chun in a post last year where singers like Li Yuchun have literally million of messages from fans. Also, for further backdrop on the darker side of net culture, see my post last year about “Internet Manhunts.”

“Forum Crushing” refers to netizens using “Forum Crushing Machine” (爆吧机), a software designed to let users continuously post content with different IP address until the forum is overloaded and “crushed.”

See below for the full story on the Crushing Machines. It is one article taken from our IWOM Watch August 1-15. See more about these reports here.

Summary
Yang Chenglin, a Taiwanese pop star, has been continuously criticized by mainland China netizens because of her inappropriate comment China’s history (i.e. the anti-Japan war “only” lasted 8 years) made years ago. Soon after the comment resurfaced, on BBB sites, and the resulting netizen uproar (examples here and here), McDonald’s cut Yang from one its TVC’s. It seems as if netizens’ rage is continuing.

Recently, her fan forum on Baidu was crushed by netizens using a “Forum Crushing Machine”(爆吧机), a tool which continuously posts content with different IP address until it is overloaded and crushed. (100,000 conversations were posted in Yang’s forum by this software in 2 days). The ultimate aim it seems of this activity is to send the message that Yang’s broadcasts should no longer be broadcast in mainland China.

During the attack, many netizens left supportive comment towards the activity and expressed desire to join in the attack.

Sample Quotes

好，支持“爆吧机”，强烈支持各爆吧网友. (link)
Good! I support “Forum Crushing Machine” as well as all the netizens who took part in the issue.

强烈要求把那贴吧封了. (link)
I strongly suggest that the forum is destroyed.

版主被迫停止发帖了～！HOHOHOHO成功！ (link)
The administrator had to stop all the posts. We win!

太帅了！！！你是什么群的，我要加！ (link)
That’s great! Which forum crushing group do you belong to? I want to join.

CIC View
More than just some sort of “in-forum terrorism”, such phenomenon indicates the evolving capability of angry Chinese netizens. From internet manhunts to this Forum Crushing activity, more and more netizens now understand how to take advantage of web tools and the collective power to amplify their voice which sometimes could lead to real damage.

For now, such “crushing machines” target mostly fan clubs sites. But don’t be surprised if in the future it is brand related forums which are targeted. (Baidu Post Bar is filled with forums dedicated to such as this one for McDonald’s. In this age, engaging consumers could result in a black eye.

See here for a list of top Forum Crushing Organizations on Baidu Post Bar.

Below is a screen shot of the index for the full IWOM watch report

Other CIC watch related posts that may be of interest:
CIC Watch Half-Year Review released (download the full report)
CIC watch: “You” – Time’s Person of the Year – also lives in China (download the full report)

Related links:
The Patriotic Bar Busters of China
Baidu Post Bar and Super Girl fans
Crisis 2.0: China vs. the West