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Comment by danso | Hacker News Reader

One of the things I don't understand is why Wu agreed to participate in this story at all? Surely the extra exposure from an international feature article -- even as glowing as the VICE article turned out to be -- is going to draw scrutiny from Chinese authorities?

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She did not expect Vice to dishonor the agreement; she thought it would help her following in China despite it being illegal. Things should've ended by getting her YouTube video taken down but if the allegations of them getting Patreon to terminate her account are true, then that's a line that's been crossed.

> she thought would help her following in China despite it being illegal.

This is what I'm interested in -- what she imagined a positive puff-piece (which this VICE article basically is) to look like that wouldn't draw unwanted attention from Chinese authorities. Isn't it more or less standard practice for authorities to be suspicious of Chinese non-mainstream citizens who get positive press in American media, nevermind from an outlet that is literally named "VICE"?

I understood that the issue is her relationship. The article is very vague, but there are clues between sentences.

That's exactly the problem. She knew she had to be very careful what and how to say to get western exposure without waking any sleeping dogs in China. She requested there is absolutely no mentions or suggestions about gender equality, sexual orientation, relationship issues in the article. Vice still included this, defending it as being just vague hints being no big deal while Naomi says it's already too dangerous. I think if in doubt one should definitely leave the judgement to the person taking the risk.

I don't think anyone is disputing that Vice legal went to Patreon to get her account terminating using the anti-doxing TOS.

well, as it says in the article, she's had good experiences with other western media outlets. she wasn't expecting vice to buck the trend.

It is flattering to be an object of attention of a large US national media outlet. And for a social activist, gaining the platform as wide and loud as Vice is very tempting. And, having positive past experience with western media, she probably was a bit naive about what could happen if things go wrong.

I think thats her personality and I think the Chinese authorities will at least allow her that but if she starts drawing too much "controversy" to herself, she will either have to start supporting "socialist values" in public or delete her content.

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