Douyin tightens rules on viral posts

Chinese social media giant Douyin said it would begin cracking down on posts that use so-called “hot events” to boost views after state media reported that the accounts of many influential people known for boasting about their lavish lifestyles had been blocked.

In a statement released Monday, Douyin said these videos use scenarios such as staged medical crises or domestic disputes to gain popularity.

“Douyin helps creators record real, good lives,” the company added.

The ruling came after the Global Times newspaper earlier this month found that a Douyin account belonging to content creator Wang Hongquan – which had more than 4.3 million followers – was no longer accessible last week amid attacks on influencers flaunting their wealth on the Internet.

Wang’s website dedicated to Douyin featured videos in which he showed off designer clothes, first-class flights and his collection of jade jewelry.

A screenshot of his Douyin profile page showed that the account had been banned for violating the platform’s terms and conditions.

According to the Global Times, Chinese social media platforms including Tencent, Kuaishou, Weibo and Little Red Book jointly issued a statement on May 15 saying they would crack down on people showing off their wealth.

Douyin said that from May 1 to May 7, they removed more than 4,701 inappropriate content and closed 11 accounts, while Little Red Book cleaned up more than 4,200 posts and closed 383 accounts in two weeks.

Meanwhile, the target appeared to be “Sister Abalone,” a woman who filmed her ornate mansion and was regularly seen dripping in diamonds and pearl necklaces, with her videos no longer visible on the YouTube-like site Bilibili.

Douyin’s “Young Master Bo,” an influencer who filmed himself test-driving Rolls-Royces and spending money on rare Hermes Birkin bags, was also missing from Douyin’s account, with an error message on his account stating that “breached relevant laws and regulations.” . (Additional AFP reporting)