Super apps, livestreaming, and China's digital world.
4 articles
WeChat does messaging, payments, shopping, food delivery, and government services — all in one app. Why did China build super apps when the West built separate ones?
In China, people spend billions watching strangers sell lipstick, play games, and eat noodles on camera. Livestreaming is a massive industry — here's why it took off the way it did.
In China, even street vendors and temple donation boxes accept QR code payments. Cash has nearly disappeared. Here's why mobile payment conquered China faster than anywhere else on Earth.
Google, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp — all blocked in China. The Great Firewall is one of the most ambitious internet control systems ever built. Here's why it exists and how it actually works.