'Brother Tape Measure' gains fame for prompting Shenzhen to fix public hazards
(ECNS) -- A Shenzhen resident known online as "Brother Tape Measure" has gained fame for using a tape measure to expose dangerous public infrastructure, prompting officials to repair hazards featured in his more than 1,000 videos.
His first video, posted on March 27, 2023, showed a raised manhole cover raised several centimeters above a bike lane. By 7 p.m. the following day, his update showed the uneven section had been fully leveled. In another instance, he reported a tree obstructing a cycling path. Relevant authorities promptly relocated the tree, creating ample space for safe passage.
For over two years, "Brother Tape Measure" has been documenting issues with municipal infrastructure through his videos. Most of the issues he flagged were quickly fixed, to the surprise of both him and his followers. His effectiveness has even earned him the online nickname "Head of the Shenzhen Bureau of Everything."
Amused by how swiftly problems were addressed, he once joked, "Did some city leader assign a team to watch my channel?"
Zhou Jianming, head of Shenzhen's Bureau of Government Service and Data Management, later clarified how the system works to respond to his confusion.
"While we don't have officials 'monitoring social media accounts,'" Zhou explained, "we do have a dedicated platform and response mechanism designed to promptly address public concerns like these."
He added that since last year, Shenzhen has been piloting a "preemptive service" initiative, systematically collecting and analyzing issues reported by citizens on 42 online platforms—including Douyin, Weibo, and WeChat Channels. Once verified, these reports are converted into work orders with mandatory follow-up oversight.
The interaction between "Brother Tape Measure" and city officials has drawn wide praise online, with netizens commending both the citizen's persistence and the government's responsiveness.
(By Zhang Dongfang)