China cracks down on ‘wealth-flaunting’ influencers

Chinese regulators are in the process of wrapping up a two-month “spring clean” of the country’s social media.

Launched on April 23, 2024, by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the latest Qinglang – “clean and bright” – campaign aims to penalize Chinese social media influencers and internet celebrities deemed to be flaunting wealth or deliberately showcasing luxurious lifestyles built on money to attract followers and traffic. Its reach goes beyond the behavior of social media users on the mainland, with Taiwanese influencers feeling the heat, too.

China is far from alone in expressing official alarm over the perceived harms of social media. The US government on June 17 signaled its desire to slap warning labels on platforms such as TikTok, X and Instagram. But whereas US efforts are framed as protecting the mental health of users, it is the well-being of China’s society that is the focus of Beijing’s crackdown – and regulators there are going beyond mere warnings.

Following the Cyberspace Administration of China’s directive, various Chinese social media platforms blocked the accounts of influencers such as Wang Hongquanxing, who has earned the nickname “China’s Kim Kardashian.”

Wang appears to have been censored for bragging about his extravagant clothing and other luxury goods. And he isn’t alone. Fellow influencer Bo Gongzi received similar treatement for showing off Porsche cars, Hermes bags and other rare and expensive accessories. And Baoyu Jiajie disappeared from Chinese social media platforms after flaunting her luxurious cuisine and lavish properties.

Violation of online expression?

Chinese official media defended the crackdown as a move against money worshipping and what Beijing describes as “toxic