Voice without Representation: Worker Voice in China’s Networked Public Sphere

Does worker voice on social media empower individuals to advocate for better working conditions when traditional voice mechanisms are absent? This study examined Chinese tech workers’ use of social media to resist overwork culture. The analysis of social media data, interviews, and news published by state-affiliated outlets shows worker voice on social media raised public awareness of overtime issues and increased state-run media coverage of overtime issues, culminating in a landmark ruling in China’s Supreme People’s Court against exploitative practices. However, online debates on the legitimacy of these overtime practices failed to build a lasting consensus in support of workers. Inconsistent enforcement of labor laws and administrative directives further weakened the protection of tech workers. Ultimately, while social media amplified worker voice, it failed to drive meaningful workplace improvements in a context in which workers lacked associational and institutional power.