According to NBC, one of them, Wang Hongquan, claimed that he owned seven properties in Beijing, the Chinese capital and that he never left the house in an outfit worth less than 10 million yuan ($1.38 million).
Online influencers known for flaunting their luxurious lifestyle are disappearing from Chinese social media amid a government crackdown on the display of wealth.
According to NBC, one of them, Wang Hongquan, claimed that he owned seven properties in Beijing, the Chinese capital and that he never left the house in an outfit worth less than 10 million yuan ($1.38 million).
Videos he posted online, the veracity of which could not be verified, appeared to show his maids, numerous Hermès handbags and expensive sports cars that he had purchased.
On Tuesday, his account on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, was inaccessible to his 4.3 million followers. Searches returned an error message saying it had been blocked “due to violations of Douyin’s community guidelines.”
The Douyin accounts of other online influencers who posted similar content, such as Bo Gongzi (Young Wealthy Lord Bai), with 2.9 million followers, and Baoyu Jiajie (Abalone Sister), with 2.3 million followers, were also blocked.
China’s Cyberspace Administration, the national internet regulator, announced a campaign last month against influencers who “create a ‘wealth-flaunting’ persona, deliberately showcasing a luxurious life built on money, in order to attract followers and traffic.”
The Internet is heavily censored in China. In 2022, officials issued a “code of conduct” prohibiting livestream anchors from “displaying or hyping a large number of luxury goods, jewelry, cash and other assets.”
Lyla Lai, a former beauty influencer who had over a million followers on Douyin, said in a voice message that what people view on social media can create a warped psychology for them.
She said, “When most people are unhappy with their own lives, they see all this online content that’s so disconnected from reality — seeing all these people who seem so happy and wealthy, it creates a pretty warped psychology.”
Lai, who left Douyin amid criticism from other users over her sales tactics and lifestyle, said there were “concerns about young people today seeing too much of this stuff and not focusing on their studies anymore, getting caught up in this excessive, greedy materialism.”
According to Lai, who now lives in Australia, the “cleanup is really necessary”.
“But at the root of it, we also need to see the economy being able to develop more, so people can have a greater sense of fulfillment and happiness in their lives, rather than just seeking psychological comfort through the internet,” she said.
+ There are no comments
Add yours