吃瓜群眾 [chī guā qún zhòng]

吃瓜群眾 [chī guā qún zhòng] n. The watermelon-eating people. This Internet slang term is often used in the context of 不明真相的吃瓜群眾 [bù míng zhēn xiàng de chī guā qún zhòng] the watermelon-eating people who are oblivious to the truth. This term was originally used to describe the public whose interest is jeopardized by the civil servants who blindly follow the directions of their injudicious supervisors. Now it describes Internet users who are gossipy and inquisitive or who are awear of certain hot topics but decline to comment on something. They often chalk up their silence or apathy to disinterest or the lack of access to the truth.