Supporting dataset for "The Platform of One's Own? Performing Gender, Class and Selfhood in Digital China"

The dataset is organized into three distinct folders, each corresponding to a chapter of the research project that explores gendered and algorithmic representations on three popular Chinese social media platforms: Rednote (Chapter 3), Kuaishou (Chapter 4), and Douyin (Chapter 5). This research investigates how platform affordances shape the visibility of users and influence the performance of gendered subjectivities and socio-economic influenceEach folder contains different types of data collected for the respective platform:<b>Rednote (Chapter 3)</b> – This folder includes a collection of screenshots from 26 users' posts, comments left by viewers, and 12 interview fieldnotes from participants who actively engage with the platform. 7 key informants' fieldnotes. The creators were selected using digital snowball sampling, and their feedback provides insights into the algorithmic visibility of femininities and the governance of content on Rednote. T<b>Kuaishou (Chapter 4)</b> – The Kuaishou folder consists of : screenshots of 40 user posts, viewers comments, and interview fieldnotes from a group of selected Kuaishou influencers, users, and management officials. Kuaishou is a platform known for its emphasis on short video content, and the dataset here reflects the intersection of local cultures, rural narratives, and algorithmic shaping of visibility and influence. Interviews with users provide nuanced perspectives on how they navigate the platform’s dynamics and align their content with the platform’s affordances.<b>Douyin (Chapter 5)</b> – This section contains set of data for Douyin, also known as the Chinese counterpart of TikTok. The data includes 22 creators' screenshots and user comments on Douyin. The study focuses on how Douyin shapes gender performances and the ways users leverage its features to build online communities and visibility.