$7,000-a-Month ‘Shameless China’ Blogger Loses All With One Post
- Web writers walk a fine line between satire and censorship
- 2013 decree making free expression harder for those in China
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At the peak of her WeChat blogging career, Laura Lian was earning about $7,000 a month. Writing satirical articles for more than 220,000 fans, she won backing from an investor and quit her public-relations job.
Then it all came tumbling down. Internet authorities shut down her blog, called Shameless China, with no warning. It happened just after she posted an article mocking Chinese men’s hairstyles, including former President Jiang Zemin’s slick-backed coiffure.