World Wide Web

Engineering

Writ

Grassroots

Operating system

The Internet

Economics

Market economy

Computer science

Chemical engineering

Business

Dissolution

Internet privacy

Advertising

Politics

Social media

Political science

Tracing

Sociology

Architectural engineering

Entertainment

Commodification

Public space

Media studies

Internet Histories

This paper delineates the historical evolution of Weibo as a social media platform (2009–2019). Rather than focusing on individual case event, we showcase how Weibo is enveloped by and also mutually shapes the push-and-pull forces of the platform’s commodification, political control and the Chinese internet ecology writ large. We argue that under these three forces, Weibo transformed from an online space for public discussions to a platform for marketing and advertising, and entertainment uses.

Tracing Weibo (2009–2019): The commercial dissolution of public communication and changing politics