The Algorithm Will Not Babysit: Chinese Women's Conception of Fertility in the Tension between Birth Policy Propaganda and Fertility Posts on Xiaohongshu and Douyin

Against the backdrop of a continuous decline in China's fertility rate and the interwoven tensions of gender politics, this study, based on over 48,000 comments on Xiaohongshu and Douyin, as well as in-depth interviews with 12 women, explores how cyber feminism uses algorithmic recommendations to reach ordinary women and reshape fertility concepts through emotional resonance and structural oppression. Research has found that physical pain, along with economic and childcare burdens, jointly shape the fear of having children. The dual pressure of national propaganda and family expectations has intensified the tugged at women between moral narratives and personal planning. The platform algorithm not only amplifies anxiety but also promotes awakening, transforming private pain into public criticism. Cyberfeminism has thus given rise to the "conditional fertility" strategy, revealing the structural dilemmas behind low fertility rates and women's autonomous practices, and providing insights for future fertility policies and gender equality