An influencer dubbed China’s Kim Kardashian has been banned in a purge of Chinese social media celebrities who have been flaunting their wealth.
Wang Hongquanxing, 30, a jewellery dealer, who once boasted that he never left home wearing clothes and accessories worth less than $1.4 million (£1.098 million), is the latest casualty of the Communist Party’s crackdown on public displays of wealth and ostentation.
Mr Wang, like several other rich online influencers, attracted millions of followers by bragging about his luxury possessions and daily extravagance – a lifestyle that has now been denounced by state media as a “toxic influence”.
This month, dozens of accounts were abruptly banned from every major Chinese social media platform, including Douyin, Weibo and Xiaohongshu. Mr Wang’s own profiles have now been declared inaccessible under “violation of self-discipline” rules.
The sudden crackdown marked a stunning public fall from grace for Mr Wang, who had 4.4 million followers on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, and who was often seen dripping with exquisite jade, pink diamonds and pearls the size of pigeon eggs, reported Sixth Tone.
Mr Wang also previously told Chinese media outlet Phoenix News that he owned seven properties in a high-end Beijing residential compound worth $110 million.
The latest crackdown comes during a tough economic period of slow growth, high youth unemployment and a troubled property market, prompting speculation that authorities may be trying to censor displays of inequality.
It is also the latest in a series of government efforts under the authoritarian rule of Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, to tighten control over all walks of life.
In recent years, the regime has sought to squeeze freedom of expression on the internet and reign in personalities deemed to be too influential on public opinion or promoting messages that run counter to the government’s narrative.
Other censored influencers included “Sister Abalone”, a middle-aged socialite from Guangdong who wowed her 2.3 million Douyin followers with updates from her opulent mansion in Macau, reportedly earning her nickname from snacking on dried abalone worth $3,500 a serving.
Often referred to as “the richest woman on the internet”, she would offer online tours of her 3,300 sq m property, complete with gardens, courtyard and a golf course, said the South China Morning Post.
Bai Gongzi, was another high profile personality who fell foul of the stricter rules.
Known as “Mr Bo”, he rose to fame through displaying his luxury purchases, including flashy cars, designer outfits and collection of Hermes bags. He impressed his nearly 3 million followers by driving a Porsche and Rolls Royce and travelling the world in first class.
All three influencers amplified their online success through lucrative livestream e-commerce contracts.
However, signs their online influence was about to be suddenly curtailed first appeared in April, when the Cyberspace Administration of China, the internet watchdog, announced it would step up its ongoing efforts to curb “excessive wealth flaunting”.
‘Harmful values’
The administration said it would target behaviour that “caters to vulgar public demands” by “deliberately showcasing a lavish lifestyle built on wealth”.
State media soon followed suit, denouncing the “worship” of money promoted by such internet celebrities.
“This type of behaviour creates a highly distorted fantasy, spreading unhealthy values through the pursuit of wealth,” digital media outlet, The Paper, wrote.
On May 15, major platforms including Tencent, Douyin, Weibo, Kuaishou and Bilibili jointly announced a ban on content promoting materialism and unrealistic wealth.
According to Sixth Tone, in the first half of May, Douyin alone deleted 4,701 pieces of content and 11 accounts it deemed to embody “harmful values” including minors promoting expensive luxury goods.
The latest crackdown has prompted speculation the authorities may be trying to temper discontent during a tough economic period of slow growth, high youth unemployment and a troubled property market.
However, the move has divided fans, with some expressing disappointment at no longer being able to view high-end products, while others criticised a toxic internet environment.
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