Struggle over visibility on Douyin: How transnational influencers who create content about Myanmar strategically negotiate the cybercriminal identity

Abstract

The evolution of social media platforms has provided opportunities for diasporic Chinese individuals and foreigners settled in China to transition into content creators, utilizing their transitional creator identities to negotiate algorithmic visibility and cultivate audiences with an appetite for novel or cosmopolitan interpretations of Chineseness. However, due to the stigmatization of Burmese individuals as cybercriminals, transnational influencers creating content about Myanmar has encountered a complex phenomenon fraught with challenges. In this exploratory study, we focus on the visibility labour among three transnational influencers creating content about Myanmar, examining their strategies for managing digital visibility on Douyin and negotiating the cybercriminal associations linked to their Burmese heritage. Through our netnographic research, we identify the intricate interaction of nationalism, gender, sexuality, and entrepreneurship in shaping their identity negotiation and pursuit of digital visibility.