Viral Chinese 'Grass Mud Horse' Pranks Fight for Freedom of Speech
Shelby Lee Walsh — June 15, 2009 — Pop Culture
References: youtube & knowyourmeme
Seemingly harmless, this little video is actually one of the most profane I’ve ever seen - plus it packs a big political message. The “Grass Mud Horse” video is one of a handful of prank videos that originated on a Chinese equivalent to Wikipedia called Baidu Baike.
The series of videos documents fictional creatures whose names purposely sound like profane words in Chinese. Although giggle-worthy, these videos are a direct response to the strict censorship in China which enforces very intense keyword filtering on the Internet.
The Grass Mud Horse attempts to limit citizen access to “all profanity and access to sensitive topics” according to Know Your Meme.
Who would have thought a Grass Mud Horse would be the emblem of Chinese’s People’s freedom of speech?
The series of videos documents fictional creatures whose names purposely sound like profane words in Chinese. Although giggle-worthy, these videos are a direct response to the strict censorship in China which enforces very intense keyword filtering on the Internet.
The Grass Mud Horse attempts to limit citizen access to “all profanity and access to sensitive topics” according to Know Your Meme.
Who would have thought a Grass Mud Horse would be the emblem of Chinese’s People’s freedom of speech?
Trend Themes
1. Prank Videos for Political Activism - Using humorous prank videos to communicate political messages and subvert censorship.
2. Creative Strategies for Circumventing Censorship - Finding creative ways to get around strict censorship laws and promote free speech.
3. Internet Memes as Symbols of Resistance - Transforming internet memes into symbols of resistance in the fight for freedom of expression.
Industry Implications
1. Social Media - Using social media platforms to share humorous and politically-charged videos that promote free speech.
2. Content Creation - Creating content across various mediums such as video, music, and art to subvert censorship.
3. Activism - Using humor and creativity in activism for social and political change in the face of government censorship.
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