Microblogging in China The website's layout, API, and mode of use was highly similar to Twitter, which was created earlier in 2006. Fanfou's users increased from 0.3 million to 1 million in the first half of 2009. The users included HP China, the "Southern Weekly", artist Ai Weiwei, writer Lian Yue () and TV commentator Liang Wendao (). Some other weibo services, such as Jiwai, Digu, Zuosa and Tencent's Taotao were launched in 2006-2009. After the July 2009 Ürümqi riots, the CPC government shut down most of the domestic weibo services, including Fanfou and Jiwai. Many popular non China-based microblogging services such as
Sina Weibo and comments. Hashtags differ slightly, using a double-hashtag "#HashName#" method, since the lack of spacing between Chinese characters necessitates a closing tag. Users can own hashtags by requesting the monitoring of a certain hashtag from the Sinai Weibo. Users can send an application and receive an answer from the company within one to three days. Once the Users own a hashtag they will have access to a wide variety of functions available only to them. The moderators need to stay active if they posts less than 1 post in a calendar week, they will be expelled from hosting the hashtag.