Background The international disclosure of Chinese human genetic data continues to be a contentious issue in China, generating public debates in both traditional and social media channels. Concerns have intensifed after Chinese scientists’ research on pangenome data was published in the prestigious journal Nature.

Methods This study scrutinized microblogs posted on Weibo, a popular Chinese social media site, in the two months immediately following the publication (June 14, 2023–August 21, 2023). Content analysis was conducted to assess the nature of public responses, justifcations for positive or negative attitudes, and the users’ overall knowledge of how Chinese human genetic information is regulated and managed in China.

Results Weibo users displayed contrasting attitudes towards the article’s public disclose of pangenome research data, with 18% positive, 64% negative, and 18% neutral. Positive attitudes came primarily from verifed government and media accounts, which praised the publication. In contrast, negative attitudes originated from individual users who were concerned about national security and health risks and often believed that the researchers have betrayed China. The benefts of data sharing highlighted in the commentaries included advancements in disease research and scientifc progress. Approximately 16% of the microblogs indicated that Weibo users had misunderstood existing regulations and laws governing data sharing and stewardship.

Conclusions Based on the predominantly negative public attitudes toward scientifc data sharing established by our study, we recommend enhanced outreach by scientists and scientifc institutions to increase the public understanding of developments in genetic research, international data sharing, and associated regulations. Additionally, governmental agencies can alleviate public fears and concerns by being more transparent about their security reviews of international collaborative research involving Chinese human genetic data and its cross-border transfer.