Digital Work, Emotion Commodification, and Moral Legitimacy: Transnational Bloggers on Chinese Social Media Platforms

Abstract Transnational bloggers, a rising breed of digital workers, foster emotional connections with followers, expand their influence through diverse digital interactions, and generate income through commercial activities. However, the commodification of emotions is met with resistance from select Chinese netizens, raising moral questions. This article explores how transnational bloggers integrate emotion and commerce within China’s platform economy. Our findings show that these bloggers establish positive emotional connections with Chinese followers, characterized by friendship, support, and sharing, which are crucial for sustaining their careers. In their quest for moral legitimacy in transnational digital commerce, they employ various strategies, including posting techniques, marketing strategies, and moral self-negotiation. This article encourages further research on emerging digital workers in the global platform economy, shedding light on their resources, actions, and competencies.