A Peek at Cesuo as Nonhuman Online Fan Persona on Weibo

As media platforms expand, fan communities reshape both the industry and the ways to interact. Cesuo [厕所, toilet], unlike algorithmic social bots, is user-operated: real individuals enforce norms, moderate content, and coordinate discourse—while mimicking bot-like behaviour. This distinctive form of information exchange in Chinese internet culture plays a dual role in fandom, functioning as both an organisational tool and a mechanism of identity regulation. As a fan NHOP, Cesuo represents a digital persona decoupled from individual identity, enabling collective performance through personal accounts. This study identifies key traits of fan NHOPs in Cesuo: rulemaking, anonymity, use of fan-specific slang and memes, and emotional engagement via fan paratexts. Drawing on qualitative analysis of two representative Cesuo accounts, the research examines their construction, operation, and embedded power structures. By engaging with and extending the NHOP framework, it argues that Cesuo enables fans to forgo individual identity in favour of shared persona, fostering emotional resonance and a sense of belonging. Though it may appear as a single bot-like entity, Cesuo is a collaborative creation.