In another video promoted by state media , a police drone orders men sitting at an outdoor mahjong table to "stop playing and leave the site as soon as possible." State media coverage, however, largely echoes Li's passive tone -- that the government has access to such information is seen as a natural occurrence in this modern "era of big data," not the result of a potentially pervasive, invasive surveillance state. That toleration for dissent and the repeated embarrassing stories unearthed by Chinese media in Wuhan once they were given free rein has now ended. In a meeting of top officials last Monday, Xi emphasized the importance of "public opinion guidance" and utilizing propaganda to "tell the story of China's fight against the epidemic and show the Chinese people's spirit of unity and togetherness." Since then, there have been numerous reports of Chinese and foreign journalists facing restrictions on reporting, and state media has begun emphasizing positive stories about the virus.

Source: CNN February 10, 2020 06:45 UTC