Luxury influencers vanish from Chinese social media in wealth crackdown
China's Communist government has in recent years sought to tighten the reins on social media celebrities, with authorities frequently criticising "money worship" and "vulgar" content
China's internet watchdog in April launched the "Clear and Bright" campaign to remove undesirable content from social media. Image: Getty Images
Chinese social media censors have blocked multiple influencers known for showing off their lavish lifestyles after an official campaign to curb displays of ostentatious wealth online was announced.
The Douyin account of Wang Hongquan, a content creator who amassed more than four million followers with videos showing off designer outfits, first-class flights and his jade jewellery collection, was no longer accessible on Tuesday.
An error message displayed on the Chinese version of TikTok said Wang's account had been blocked "due to violations of Douyin's community guidelines".
China's internet watchdog in April launched the "Clear and Bright" campaign to remove undesirable content from social media, vowing to crack down on influencers who created "ostentatious personas to cater to vulgar needs, and deliberately display extravagant lifestyles filled with money".
Chinese state media reported that Wang's videos disappeared from Douyin this month, along with the accounts of several other luxury influencers.
