My research interests are two-fold. The first strand of work focuses on the digital game industry, media entrepreneurship, and cultural policy. My previous research examines the thriving scene of gaming entrepreneurship in Shanghai, China’s largest game industry hub. Drawing on entrepreneurship studies, media industry studies, and social capital research, these works have portrayed a dynamic qualitative account of the entrepreneurs’ networking efforts for venture creation and growth amid a toughening startup environment. The second strand of work explores the shifting landscape of digital inequalities in the era of AI & big data. My previous research attends to how contact tracing solutions that arise from the COVID-19 pandemic have altered the notion of digital privacy. I have shed light on the degree to which the Chinese public perceives privacy protection in using Health Code apps, which are mandatorily implemented as China’s official contact tracing tools.

 

Trained in an interdisciplinary research environment, my methodological approach is primarily qualitative, including interview, participant observation, and content analysis, which are supplemented by social surveys. Currently, I am furthering both strands by 1) unpacking the creative autonomy of Chinese gaming entrepreneurs with respect to the intricate powerplays among the state, domestic platform providers, and international platform giants; and (2) interrogating parent-child conflict, negotiation, and reconciliation around digital privacy management in Chinese household settings.