The evolution of online discussions about GMOs in China over the past decade: Changes, causes and characteristics

This paper uses word frequency statistics and semantic network analysis to analyse text related to genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in microblog in China. We discuss the structure of the main discourses and changes in them over the past decade, explore the reasons for those changes and provide possible references that may be useful when related problems or situations occur in future. We have found that conspiracy theories permeated online discussions and that netizens’ emotions had a nationalist tendency. The GMO issue was highly socialized. Participants in online discussions were from different backgrounds, and the topics went far beyond GMO technology. The public tended to trust the government, rather than experts, while opinion leaders also played a role in guiding public opinion. The keywords in this discussion have gradually changed in recent years from clustering around ‘harmful’ to clustering around ‘scientific’, and new participation models brought about by new media have provided new reference paths for problem solving.