Why do citizens react differently to propaganda? This question explores how state messaging not only influences individual beliefs but also dampens collective action.

Our survey experiment with Chinese internet users reveals a key finding: people perceive propaganda as affecting others more than themselves. They believe it reduces others' support for the government and willingness to protest, creating a chilling effect through social comparison.

This perception—propaganda's presumable indirect influence—is crucial in understanding why collective protests may not occur despite widespread anti-government sentiment. The findings suggest that propaganda can be more effective at controlling dissent by exploiting perceptions of other people than by directly targeting individuals.

Implications include:

• Propaganda often works through creating uncertainty about others' susceptibility and resolve

• This effect requires measuring beyond direct individual impacts on belief or preference

• Understanding these mechanisms is vital for analyzing protest dynamics in authoritarian contexts