Chapter 575 The Big Boss Loses His Temper

Night had fallen in the CEO's office at Weibo.

Zhou Juan spoke rapidly: "President Liu, the 'Joy of Life' project is really important!"

Now, it's being massively smeared by online trolls, severely impacting the public's perception; it urgently needs strong support from Weibo!

A hint of helplessness and exhaustion flashed across the face of Liu Yan, the president of Weibo.

She was already late leaving get off work today, and just as she locked the door, Zhou Juan rushed over and blocked her way, forcing her to return to the office to discuss the thorny issue of dealing with the smear campaign.

He rubbed his temples and soothed his colleague with kind words:

“Mr. Zhou, I understand your difficulties, and I have been trying to help you! The technical department and the review team have been working overtime, and the blocking and traffic restriction have never stopped.”

“That’s not enough, Mr. Liu!” Zhou Juan said firmly. “I need to increase the intensity! In extraordinary times, we must use severe measures.”

"Suppress every single one of the online troll leaders and marketing accounts that stir up trouble and spread rumors!"

At this moment, she was extremely anxious. The ferocity and tight organization of the Blackwater Army's offensive were completely beyond her expectations.

Even with thorough contingency plans in place, they were still caught off guard by the other side.

With a day having passed since "Joy of Life" was released and its popularity showing no increase, I started to panic.

Liu Yan shook his head and refused outright: "Impossible! President Zhou, calm down, Weibo is a public platform."

Abruptly banning a large number of accounts could raise public concerns about the platform's fairness and may also attract regulatory attention.

The platform's penalty system is tiered, ranging from content deletion, traffic restriction, and banning to final account suspension, requiring an evidence-based identification, review, and graded handling process.

It's impossible for us to go on a rampage and destroy the foundation of the entire platform ecosystem just because of one project!

Zhou Juan frowned. She knew the rules of Weibo all too well. But rules meant procedures, and procedures took time, and right now, time was what she lacked most.

Weibo requires clear evidence of violations and a multi-layered process, which undoubtedly gives trolls and online trolls room to maneuver and a breathing space.

Liu Yan sighed softly: "President Zhou, the attackers used a large number of cheaply purchased online troll accounts and overseas proxy IPs, which is extremely low-cost."

"Suppress one batch, and they can immediately bring in a new batch, employing a 'guerrilla warfare' or 'relentless' approach. Cleaning up the platforms takes time and money."

"Can we trace it back to its source using the IP address?"

"It's difficult. The IP addresses of these online trolls are spread all over the world and change dynamically. The mastermind behind them will never get involved personally."

The work involves multiple layers of subcontracting through third-party companies. Even if you follow the trail, you can only likely find the middleman company acting as a front.

Zhou Juan, looking unwilling, took out her phone, opened the Weibo trending topics list, and shoved the screen in front of Liu Yan:

"Mr. Liu, look at this! Is Weibo still a normal platform for public opinion? It's a mess, a chaotic place!"

At this moment, a thrilling tug-of-war is unfolding on Weibo's trending topics list.

The hashtag #JoyofLifeIsGood# has been on a rollercoaster ride, barely climbing to third place based on genuine user discussion.

The very next second, it was mercilessly pushed down by the trending topic #ZhangRuoyun'sActingAwkward#;

In less than ten minutes, the hashtag #JoyofLifeSpecialEffects areSoGood#, which included the word "hot," suddenly appeared at the top of the list.

Almost simultaneously, another glaring trend emerged: #JoyofLife'sMorbidAdaptationOfTheOriginalNovel#, directly confronting it.

The entire trending topics list presented an unprecedented and bizarre situation of polarization and clear division.

Looking at the chaotic list, Liu Rong couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Thinking that Weibo is so chaotic now, it is certainly due to the "contribution" of black-hat trolls, but the white-hat trolls and fans who hired Zhou Juan to control comments also deserve "a lot of credit".

Without the interference of both sides, how could public opinion have spiraled out of control to this extent?

She was greatly troubled. One can imagine that countless ordinary users would open Weibo and see a beautifully designed poster of "Joy of Life" as their splash screen ad.

After clicking in with high expectations, the information feed was filled with all sorts of chaotic and contradictory signals.

Those unscrupulous marketing accounts seem to have collectively gone mad; one post was still "reviewing the three most amazing moments of 'Joy of Life'".

The next item became "A detailed list of five major flaws in 'Joy of Life'", playing both sides and making money from both.

The entire Weibo recommendation and topic square have become completely unreliable, as if the entire platform has fallen into a mental breakdown.

Zhou Juan then clicked on the comments section of the official trailer released by "Joy of Life": "President Liu, take another look here, we've completely fallen for it!"

Liu Yan looked down and saw that the top comments below the trailer were almost entirely negative comments with the same format and content.

"The male lead is too ugly, I'm dropping this!"

"The plot has been drastically altered, breaking the hearts of fans of the original work!"

...

But these comments don't remain silent for long; dozens, even hundreds, of similarly formatted counterattacks will flood in almost instantly:

"How much does it cost per post for online trolls? Let's create a group and make money together!"

"You can donate your eyes if you don't need them anymore!"

...

The number of likes and reports jumped and climbed wildly below each comment, forming an absurd yet fierce competition.

"Let me think about what to do..." Liu Yan rubbed his throbbing temples, his head throbbing.

The most challenging issue is that online troll attacks are not always mindless insults; often they disguise themselves as spontaneous comments or reasonable criticisms from viewers.

By cleverly blending into normal user discussions, it greatly increases the difficulty for the platform to identify them.

Moreover, given the current misleading public opinion environment, some genuine users who are unaware of the facts may also post negative comments. If large-scale governance measures are taken, collateral damage will be almost unavoidable.

After a moment's thought, he proposed a compromise: "I will apply to the Group's Technical Department for advanced access to the Skynet Big Data System in the name of platform governance."

We conduct in-depth behavioral analysis to accurately identify and flag malicious attack accounts, then block and severely limit their reach to reduce exposure. And over there…”

She looked at Zhou Juan and said solemnly, "Temporarily halt the White Water Army operation. This method of using water to control water will only further pollute the public opinion environment and make the situation more chaotic."

Focus your efforts on encouraging and supporting genuine fans and viewers, publishing positive reviews, and gradually diluting negative sentiment.

Just as Zhou Juan was about to say a few more words in her argument, there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Please come in."

The door was pushed open, and Jiang Tiantian, the director of the General Office, appeared in the doorway, jokingly saying in a low voice, "Oh, are the two bosses still racking their brains over important matters of the Qing Kingdom?"

Liu Yan and Zhou Juan stood up to greet him: "Director Jiang, is there anything I can help you with?"

Jiang Tiantian's smile vanished instantly, and her expression turned serious: "Notify you both that you need to connect to the group's senior management video conferencing system at 7:30 sharp. The boss is having a meeting."

"A meeting?" Liu Yan was taken aback, and subconsciously asked, "Do you know what it's about, Director Jiang?"

"I don't know the specifics." Jiang Tiantian shrugged, pointed her finger upwards meaningfully.

All I know is that the big boss called General Manager Zhang not long after he got home from get off work. Upstairs... the CEO was furious.

Gentlemen, time is running out. Hurry up and connect to the video conferencing system. Good luck!

Upon hearing this, Zhou Juan's heart sank.

CEO Zhang Yong specially approved a full-scale promotional campaign across the entire group's channels, but after three days, the data for "Joy of Life" showed no improvement.

The Weibo platform has descended into chaos. This time, the entire entertainment industry is likely to face criticism.

………

It was 7:30 p.m. in the Jingyuan Study.

Song Ci changed into comfortable casual clothes and sat at her desk. Several windows were displayed on the electronic screen in front of her.

The images displayed were of Zhang Yong, Wang Jing, Liu Yan, Zhang Zhao (head of the Digital Media and Entertainment Business Group), and several other presidents.

His face was calm and expressionless, his eyes deep and unfathomable, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

But his old subordinates, who had followed him for many years, were filled with trepidation. The calmer the situation, the more intense the storm was likely to be.

Wang Jing spoke first: "Chairman Song, everyone is here, we can start the meeting."

Song Ci nodded slightly, his eyes sharp, and directly called out, "Liu Yan."

Liu Yan's heart tightened: "Chairman Song, I'm here."

Song Ci asked calmly, "What's the date today?"

Liu Yan paused for a moment, then cautiously replied, "August 7th, the beginning of autumn."

Song Ci nodded, his tone remaining calm:

"On August 5th, the government proposed to accelerate the development of the elderly care service industry."

New urban areas are required to provide elderly care service facilities at a rate of 0.1 square meters per capita, while old urban areas are required to improve their facilities within a specified time.

On August 6, the government issued a document entitled "Broadband China Strategy and Implementation Plan".

Broadband networks are positioned as a strategic public infrastructure, with a target of 20Mbps for urban broadband access and 4Mbps for rural areas by 2015.

After recounting the two policy announcements, his tone suddenly turned cold: "I've been searching Weibo's trending topics for ages, but I haven't seen any news related to these two important policies."

Everyone present felt a jolt of fear, and Liu Yan broke out in a cold sweat, stammering and unsure how to respond.

Song Ci’s voice was not loud, but it carried immense power: “A national platform that carries the flow of information across the entire society has been thrown into chaos by a fan war over a film and television project.”

Even the transmission of important information concerning national affairs and people's livelihoods has been submerged and interfered with.

Tell me, is it because our opponent is too powerful, or because our system is too fragile?

The presidents were speechless when questioned, and no one dared to speak on the screen; there was complete silence.

Zhang Yong took a deep breath; the chairman's thinking had long since transcended the gains and losses of a single project.

This has risen to the level of platform ecosystem health and social information efficiency. He said in a deep voice, "Chairman Song, I..."

Song Ci raised his hand to interrupt, and sternly reprimanded:

"General Manager Zhang supports the work of the entertainment sector and has approved the splash screen promotion of 14 apps, which is a group-level resource allocation."

Is this how you repay the CEO's trust? Are you even capable of doing your jobs?

Although separated by a screen, everyone could feel the powerful pressure emanating from the chairman, a condescending scrutiny.

Zhang Zhao felt extremely bitter. The chairman's words set the tone, indicating that the entertainment division had failed to perform well and had let down the CEO and the group's trust and support.

This responsibility, no matter what, must be borne by him. He immediately steeled himself and stated:

"Chairman Song, General Manager Zhang, all the responsibility lies with me. I failed to coordinate the work across all departments. I deeply regret my actions..."

Song Ci scoffed: "What about Weibo?"

Liu Yan felt a chill run down his spine: "Chairman, it was my mistake in my work, my mismanagement and control, and my failure to fulfill my responsibility to safeguard the order of the platform."

Zhang Yong spoke again: "Weibo is in chaos, the user experience is extremely poor, and its credibility has been damaged."

Liu Yan, the primary task is to restore platform order and rebuild user trust as soon as possible.

"Yes! Please rest assured, Chairman Song and General Manager Zhang, I will make arrangements immediately and handle it right away!"

At this moment, Song Ci faced the camera, stretched out her finger, and drew a circle in the air: "I'm here to set a rule."

From this day forward, disputes and controversies in the entertainment industry are only permitted within their own circles; they must not spill over, and certainly not hijack public opinion!

He ordered decisively, "Weibo must be redesigned! The trending topics list must be refined and vertically segmented."

In addition to the overall ranking, there are sub-rankings for society, culture and entertainment, sports, economics, and technology. Each category has its own place and function!

While Liu Yan, Zhang Zhao, and the others were still pondering the impact of the chairman's divide-and-conquer strategy on Weibo traffic and the entertainment industry ecosystem, Zhang Yong secretly praised it.

He felt that Song Ci's perspective on issues and his overall vision far exceeded the level of calculating the gains and losses of a single project.

Greater emphasis is placed on the governance of the entire online information ecosystem and the creation of a healthy public opinion environment.

Perhaps this foresight and courage that transcends mere commercial interests is precisely the charm of a top entrepreneur.

Wang Jing chimed in, "Brilliant! Chairman Song. Segmenting the market is a brilliant move!"

They keep entertainment topics within their own sphere, preventing the noise from both positive and negative opinions from polluting the public discourse.

At the same time, it better meets the personalized information needs of user groups with different interests. A win-win situation!

Song Ci definitively stated: "A celebrity's wedding, a technological breakthrough, an athlete's victory, and the release of a policy that benefits the people should all have different spaces for discussion."

From today onward, Weibo will strive to ensure that every form of attention finds its place; and that important voices are not drowned out!

………

After the video conference ended, Song Ci leaned back in her chair, shook her head, and muttered to herself:

"Those few... still don't quite understand why the traditional forces in the entertainment industry are launching such a fierce offensive against 'Joy of Life'?"

Beside her, Liu Shishi, who had not appeared on camera during the video conference, stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her husband's neck from behind, her breath sweet and fragrant.

"Did several film and television companies work together?"

“Not only that.” Song Ci grasped his wife’s hand, which was wrapped around his chest. “There should also be TV stations involved, and Alibaba and Baidu are also secretly fueling the fire.”

Liu Shishi asked in surprise, "How can a web series involve so many forces?"

Song Ci chuckled lightly: "They're testing Tengda's abilities."

After hearing her husband's explanation, Liu Shishi suddenly understood. She pondered for a moment, then looked at her husband with clear, calm eyes, her tone gentle:

"This stalemate can't go on. It's just a small film project, not worth making a big fuss about. I'll handle this."

Song Ci was somewhat surprised. He took his wife's hand and helped her sit on his lap, then asked with great interest:

"Oh? How does Madam intend to proceed? Then I must thank Madam properly."

Liu Shishi smiled gently, like a rare orchid in a secluded valley: "I did this to protect the audience and ensure they have a clean and pleasant viewing environment."

She paused, a shrewd glint in her eyes, and a slight smile played on her lips: "Besides, they've been so presumptuous on my husband's platform. Shouldn't I do something, both publicly and privately?"

Song Ci nodded, full of anticipation and trust: "Alright, I await your good news, Madam."

At 8 p.m. sharp, the chaos on Weibo reached another peak.

Liu Shishi, wife of Asia's richest man and a top female entertainer in China, updated her Weibo status.

There were no pictures, no emojis, no mention of anyone, and no mention of "Joy of Life" or any specific incident.

While various forces in the entertainment industry were making their fuss and putting on a show, only eight words were left on the Weibo account:

"Think independently and distinguish right from wrong."

(End of this chapter)