Around 2010, as the United States was extricating itself from the wars in the Middle East, it recognized that China could potentially become an economic competitor. To counterbalance China's influence, the U.S. passed Resolution 605, expressing sympathy for Falun Gong practitioners in China and calling on the Chinese government to stop its repression of the group. Additionally, the U.S. Congress considered allocating funds to an organization called the Global Internet Freedom Consortium, which is backed by Falun Gong. This organization focuses on providing software for bypassing internet censorship, such as the well-known Freegate, which was developed by Falun Gong.
Engagement in American Politics
As the Falun Gong community gradually adapted to the American environment, they decided to begin influencing the United States. Using the money they earned annually, combined with donations from believers and the funding allocated by the U.S. Congress, the direction for the Falun Gong community became clearer. The technical team's capabilities were significantly enhanced. Through studying Facebook's algorithm and conducting long-term experiments, they developed a method for driving traffic on Facebook. This involved intercepting Facebook users' internet traffic and simulating likes through traffic packets to like their own posts. If you encounter issues with your Facebook account being inexplicably banned, it might not necessarily be due to something you did but rather an issue related to your use of certain anti-censorship software.
Their research into anti-censorship technology led to the development of automated liking and sharing features, allowing them to quickly push an article to trending status, thereby increasing subscriptions. Through links within these articles, they could redirect the audience to their own websites. With the considerable "innovative" capabilities of the Chinese community backing them, the technical prowess of Falun Gong should not be underestimated.
Betting Big on Trump
In 2016, Falun Gong placed a significant bet on Donald Trump. Using their method, they successfully garnered a substantial number of votes for Trump, turning many of Falun Gong's media outlets into a formidable force within right-wing media. With Trump's first electoral victory, the influence of Falun Gong's media grew within Trump's inner circle. Both Trump and his family frequently shared articles from these outlets, and officials in the Trump administration were willing to sit down for interviews with Falun Gong media. Reporters from The Epoch Times, a Falun Gong-affiliated newspaper, even gained the opportunity to ask questions at White House press briefings. The rapid growth of Falun Gong's media influence took many in mainland China by surprise.
During Trump's second presidential campaign, Falun Gong media continued to fully support him. Although Trump lost this time, the traffic to Falun Gong media outlets did not decrease; in fact, it increased. These media outlets claimed that Trump had not actually lost, continually asserting that he would return next month, and then the following month. Such anti-intellectual rhetoric was persistently promoted for several months. As another U.S. election approaches, it is expected that Falun Gong media will once again rally behind Trump.
"Anti-Communism" as a Business
Falun Gong's anti-Communist stance is inevitable, given their persecution in mainland China. However, Falun Gong has indeed benefited significantly from the "anti-Communism" business. Firstly, Falun Gong has been recognized as a new religious movement by the U.S. government, which has endorsed their efforts to attract followers. Additionally, Falun Gong media outlets have gained a large audience by fabricating sensational headlines like "Hundreds of Millions Dead in Mainland China" and "Hundreds of Millions Quit the Communist Party." Despite these claims being meaningless, they are repeated daily and have become common conversation topics. The "anti-Communist" label has opened up numerous business opportunities for them, such as promoting the Shen Yun Performing Arts, facilitating immigration with political asylum permits, and selling anti-censorship software. Thus, "anti-Communism" is not only Falun Gong's label but also a lucrative business.
Falun Gong is Ultimately a Farce
Falun Gong's biggest target is, of course, the United States, but their most shocking achievement globally took place in Spain. In 2003, a group of Falun Gong practitioners approached the Spanish courts seeking justice. The Spanish High Court responded by deciding to prosecute Jiang Zemin, Luo Gan, Jia Qinglin, Wu Guanzheng, and Bo Xilai. They declared that if the defendants did not respond within 4 to 6 weeks, they would face at least 20 years in prison and various fines. Naturally, this verdict had no real impact and was merely a publicity stunt. Falun Gong's greatest flaw is its anti-intellectualism, which ultimately relegates it to the status of a third-rate media entity, unable to gain any substantial credibility.
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