Serve the Traffic: The Logic of Traffic and Its Politics on WeChat Platform

Abstract

In China, “the logic of traffic” ( liuliang luoji, 流量逻辑) is a buzzword widely adopted within digital platforms, the government, and the general public. A cursory description of how digital platforms operate, the logic of traffic is often equated with unscrupulous traffic-chasing behavior, and fails to capture the complex relationships and interactions within the political economy of Chinese digital media platforms. This article uses official accounts on the WeChat platform as a case study to examine the historical evolution of the logic of traffic and considers the collaborations between various stakeholders and their implications. Through fieldwork observations and in-depth interviews, we illustrate the dynamic relationships between media, platform, government, and content producers. We argue that the logic of traffic, as both a managerial consideration and cultural imperative, is driven by both market and governmental forces, even as it is expressed in the routine discursive practices of content creation. The research contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the indigenous logic of platform cultural production and provides insights into the dynamic relationship between the state and digital media industry.