China has banned popular social media influencer Wang Hongquanxing, known as "China's Kim Kardashian," from the country's major online platforms. This move is part of a broader crackdown on extravagant online personas by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). Wang, a 31-year-old jeweler, gained fame for showcasing his luxurious lifestyle, which included expensive clothing, jewelry, and frequent appearances at high-end fashion events.
Wang's accounts have been removed from , Douyin, and Xiaohongshu for violating community guidelines. He had amassed 4.4 million followers on Douyin, China's version of , where he regularly posted about his designer clothes and accessories.
In a past interview, Wang boasted that he never left home without wearing at least $1.4 million worth of luxury items and owns seven luxury properties in Beijing. The CAC's decision is seen as part of a campaign to curb the display of wealth and materialism on social media.
The crackdown on Wang and other influencers is part of the "Clear and Bright" campaign launched by the CAC in April. The campaign aims to stop social media users from creating ostentatious personas to cater to what the authorities describe as "vulgar needs" and to discourage the deliberate display of extravagant lifestyles. Alongside Wang, other influencers like "Sister Abalone," a known for her online tours of her luxurious Macau homes, who posted about luxury goods, have also been banned.
The CAC's actions have elicited mixed reacti.
