删帖 (shāntiě) is more than just a technical command; it's a cornerstone of modern Chinese internet culture, deeply intertwined with censorship and social control. In Western culture, the closest equivalent is “content moderation” or a post being “taken down.” This is usually done by a platform like Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) for violating specific terms of service (e.g., hate speech, copyright infringement), and the process is often (though not always) transparent with a clear reason given. In China, 删帖 operates in a much broader and more opaque context. While it can be for term-of-service violations, it is frequently used to remove content that is politically sensitive, socially disruptive, or simply deemed “unharmonious” (不和谐 - bù héxié) by government regulators. This is part of a wider state policy known as 维稳 (wéiwěn), or “maintaining stability.” The reasons for a post being deleted are often not stated, leaving users to guess which 敏感词 (mǐngǎn cí), or “sensitive word,” they might have used. This creates a chilling effect where users self-censor to avoid their posts being deleted or, worse, their accounts being suspended (封号 - fēng hào). Therefore, when a Chinese netizen says their post was “shāntiě-ed,” it carries a strong implication of being silenced by an invisible, powerful force, a feeling less commonly associated with “content moderation” in the West.
删帖 is a high-frequency term used by virtually every Chinese internet user.
The term is informal and used in everyday conversation, on social media, and in news articles discussing internet regulation.