IntroductionGuest: Michelle Proksell (Twitter: @proksell; WeChat: mutedrainbow)Michelle’s talk at 32c3Michelle’s research WeChatMessage in a Bottle: shake phone, find random people near youPeople Nearby: people active within a 1000m radius near youMichelle’s current research partner Gabriele de SetaTheir paper on Chinese selfies: „The Aesthetics of Zipai: From Wechat Selfies to Self-Representation in Contemporary Chinese Art and Photography“Examples. So many examples. „Demographics“ folder美图秀秀 měitú xiùxiù: photo editing app (English name: Meitu Pic)Uniqlo: popular clothing store chainE-commerce on WeChatBusiness Insider: „WeChat is helping Chinese buy US homes“Tencent, huge internet companyQQ, instant messenger platformWeChat has international appeal/international connectionsWeibo (literally „microblogging“) (often compared to Twitter to make it easier to understand for foreigners)Michelle’s „small data“ database, individual assessment, chance of infering something wrong not as high as with big dataFundraising through WeChat is also possible红包 hōngbāo: „red envelope“, which is used to gift money (esp. on Chinese New Year) to children and unmarried womenWeChat described as „China’s homegrown OS (Operating System)“can be used to play gamesnot an OS in the traditional sense, but in the way its used and the broad functions it provides; driving a lot of app development1.3 billion Chinese: still ~600 million people are still offline (Xi Jinping wants everyone online by 2020)Older phones more prevalent in rural areas, not as many smartphones as seen in urban areas. Worse/no 3G coverage in the countryside?Migrant workers (PIC 1. bunk 2. selfie with bed in background 3. group of people)indicator: bunk bedsindicator: gesturescrab legs formed to spell 中秋快乐 („Happy Mid-Autumn Festival“)Slightly modified WeChat startup screen ca 我不年轻了: Obama, Kim Jong Un, Shinzo Abe, Duang„duang“, a Chinese neologism „“ originally intended as a high five, not hands folded in prayerMichelle enjoys fish pics520 = 五二零 = wuerling   ~>   woaini = 我爱你Q&A Thank you, Sendezentrum!