Understanding the failure of government debunking communication: insights from China

This study uses qualitative methods to examine the challenges faced by authoritarian regimes in managing rumors during public crises, focusing on the Urumqi government's (the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwestern China) response to COVID-19 lockdown rumors. The analysis identifies four factors contributing to the failure of government debunking communication: Rejection due to Negative Past Experiences, Discourse Reinterpretation by Mismatched Criteria, Disregard Toward Inflexible Statements, and Opposition Arising from Perceived Superficial Efforts. These factors culminate in a core mechanism termed 'Emotional Resistance Anchored in Distrust,' highlighting how negative past experiences shape public distrust and foster resistance to government communication. The findings challenge the assumption of automatic public trust in authoritarian contexts and underscore the importance of aligning government actions with public needs and expectations, particularly during crises.