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Luxury influencers vanish from Chinese social media in wealth crackdown
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A woman with children in tow rides her scooter by a Lamborghini car dealership in Beijing on Sept. 10, 2023. (AFP/Pedro Pardo)
C
hinese social media censors have blocked multiple influencers known for showing off their lavish lifestyles after an official campaign to curb displays of ostentatious wealth online was announced.
The Douyin account of Wang Hongquan, a content creator who amassed more than 4 million followers with videos showing off designer outfits, first-class flights and his jade jewellery collection, was no longer accessible on Tuesday.
An error message displayed on the Chinese version of TikTok said Wang's account had been blocked "due to violations of Douyin's community guidelines".
China's internet watchdog in April launched the "Clear and Bright" campaign to remove undesirable content from social media, vowing to crack down on influencers who created "ostentatious personas to cater to vulgar needs, and deliberately display extravagant lifestyles filled with money".
Chinese state media reported that Wang's videos disappeared from Douyin this month, along with the accounts of several other luxury influencers.
"Sister Abalone", a woman who filmed her elaborately decorated mansion and was regularly seen dripping with diamond and pearl necklaces, also appeared to have been targeted.
Her videos were no longer visible on the YouTube-like Bilibili site on Tuesday.
"Young Master Bo", an influencer who filmed himself test-driving Rolls-Royces and splurging on rare Hermes Birkin bags, was also missing from Douyin on Tuesday, with his account showing an error message that said he had "violated relevant laws and regulations".
Douyin said in a statement on Monday that it would also start cracking down on fake "hot events" -- for example videos of staged medical crises and domestic disputes designed to boost views.
"Douyin guides creators to record true, good lives," the company said.
China's Communist government has in recent years sought to tighten the reins on social media celebrities, with authorities frequently criticizing "money worship" and "vulgar" content.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's "common prosperity" initiative to reduce economic inequality has also resulted in massive fines for livestreaming influencers, with "queen of livestreaming" Viya forced to pay a $204 million fine for tax evasion in 2021.
