An empirical study of consumer video activism in China: protesting against businesses with short videos

This article explores how Chinese consumers adopt short videos and short-video-based social media platforms (short-video-based [SVB] platforms) to safeguard their rights and interests. Bringing together the literature on SVB platforms and media practices and interviewing 56 interviewees in four groups that are involved in the consumer video activism process, I uncover the working mechanism behind this consumer video activism strategy: by uploading short video evidence to SVB platforms, Chinese consumers can bring increased attention—including that of the media and government departments—to bear on their experiences and demands. Thus, with the aid of media coverage and government intervention, businesses are forced to admit their faults and compensate consumers accordingly.