The Fall of “Kim Kardashian” and China’s Crackdown on Rich Online Influencers As Internet censorship gets stricter
China’s internet watchdog has put in place strict rules that have led to a widespread crackdown on social media influencers who show off their expensive lives online. One of the well-known people who died is Wang Hongquanxing, a 31-year-old designer who became known as “China’s Kim Kardashian” for showing off his money on Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu. The Chinese government is stepping up its efforts to stop what it sees as “toxic” and “unhealthy” effects on society, especially among young people.
Wang Hongquanxing’s Rise and Fall
Wang Hongquanxing became famous overnight thanks to a video that went viral in 2022. In it, he was seen begging his mother for money while on all fours. This out-of-the-box method made him famous, and he quickly gained an amazing 4.4 million followers on Douyin, which is like TikTok in China.
His posts were mostly about showing off his luxurious life by wearing brand clothes, wearing expensive jewelry, and living in expensive homes. Hongquanxing said in interviews that he never left the house without wearing clothes and items worth at least $1.4 million. He even said that he owned seven expensive flats in a fancy Beijing neighborhood, worth an amazing $110 million.
The sudden ban and what it means
But Hongquanxing’s time as a big name online came to a quick end when his accounts were suddenly banned on several major social media sites, such as Douyin, Weibo, and Xiaohongshu. The person was banned because they broke the platforms’ community rules, which say that people shouldn’t make “ostentatious personas” or talk about having too much money.
Hongquanxing is being punished as part of a larger effort by the Chinese government to stop the spread of selfish ideas and showing off too much wealth on the internet. The government is worried that this kind of material could have a negative effect on teens and encourage unhealthy social norms.
The Bigger Campaign Against Flaunting Wealth: Hongquanxing’s ban is not an isolated event; it is part of the Chinese government’s bigger plan to stop online influencers from showing off their money and fancy lives. Several other famous people have also been targeted, such as “Mr. Bo,” who is known for showing off his expensive things, and “Sister Abalone,” a middle-aged lady from Guangdong.
Sister Abalone: The House in Macau Maven “Sister Abalone,” a rich celebrity from Guangdong, gained 2.3 million followers on Douyin by showing off her luxurious life from her huge Macau pad. She got her nickname by eating expensive dried abalone meals that cost thousands of dollars every day. People were captivated by her online tours of her 3,300-square-meter farm, which included a golf course, gardens, and a courtyard, until her account was finally shut down.