[JD] China’s State Media Investigates Fake Followers of Celebrities

[5201314]

Cai Xukun, a popular singer from China's boy band Nine Percent, was caught by China’s state media CCTV for faking his online popularity. Cai previously worked with luxury brands like Chanel and L'Oreal thanks to his popularity. Photo: Weibo

 

 

 

https://jingdaily.com/fake-followers-celebrities/

by Yiling Pan 

 

 

 

 

When Cai Xukun (蔡å¾å¤), the ultra-popular member of China’s idol band Nine Percent, posted his newest song, “Wait Wait Waitâ€, on Weibo, about one-third of Weibo users (roughly 100 million people) re-shared it.

 

This level of popularity has granted him a slew of commercial opportunities, from Chanel to L’Oreal to even the NBA League. But then, Cai was caught by China’s state media CCTV for faking his online popularity.

 

The existence of fake social media followers is a serious concern for any marketer. A newest investigative report by China’s central television exposed a rather surprising behind-the-scenes look into the country’s grey industry of follower buying. The move not only named certain celebrities, like Cai, but also sent out a strong message that the government is quite serious about regulating this practice.

 

In the investigative video, CCTV journalists demonstrated how easy one could find an agency in China to boost an account’s digital popularity. Using Alibaba’s Taobao marketplace or within Tencent’s WeChat system, one could quickly match with a professional agent that offers a variety of services. For example, in what it called its basic package that costs about $1.50 (RMB 10), a buyer can gain 400 followers on Weibo or 100 shares of a specific post. There is also a wide range of customized offers out there to meet different needs of fake follower buyers. To increase their credibility, an agency operator even told CCTV journalists that they worked for many hottest celebrities and key opinion leaders (KOLs) before.

 

Additionally, the investigation uncovered how these agencies hire low-cost people to work for them. Journalists showed a WeChat hiring notice that recruits people to follow and like posts on Weibo and Douyin. CCTV also said that Chinese consumers have long been fed up with this toxic activity and are now demanding greater transparency and authenticity.

 

In recent years, it has been highly common to see China’s top-level celebrity influencers amassing over one million shares or likes or comments of a single post on their social media channels. Their high online engagement makes luxury brands willing to pay skyrocketing advertising fees in exchange for endorsements. The CCTV’s report, however, showed that many of brand’s budgets may have gone into pockets of fake follower management agencies, which help celebrities inflate the online following and engagement on a daily basis.

 

Following the investigation, China’s top social media site, Weibo, issued a long statement on February 24 to indicate how it would support the government to crack down on these practices by celebrities that it described as “crime.â€

 

Buying an online engagement in the luxury and fashion industry isn’t new to brands. Speaking on conditions of anonymity, a Chinese marketing manager, working at an Italian luxury brand, told Jing Daily that “We know about this phenomenon more or less and we were not too against it because we also needed good figures to please our headquarters.â€

 

Perhaps, what’s most interesting about the CCTV investigative report, is the Chinese government’s changing attitude toward this behavior. If they are determined to make the celebrity segment more disciplined and regulated on this front, which is partially in line with consumer’s expectation, what would be the consequences for brands who fail to acknowledge it properly?

 

[Jenníe Kim]

Tea omg

[rockerchic88]

Takes me back to Shane Dawson buying followers videos and just how easy it is to do so. A lot of social media is just fabricated hard to say how much of it is even valid hype any more.

[Acer]

all fake,wbk..

[waycrispy1]

*whispers* they all do it, the fans, the companies, etc.

[namidaone]

Wish the article showed a link to the cctv video 

Was it Cai Xukun/his co who was caught buying his fake followers or was it his fans? 

edit: video but no Eng sub

 

[WINE]

[JihyoStoleMyHeartAYAYAY]

Tea omg

[Moruk Laplamiz]

I'm worried for Cai Xukun and the idol industry in general. It seems the CCP are getting more repressive and I wonder if this a bad sign to come. They already banned hip hop from every mainstream media and now they are going after C-POP? 

[waycrispy1]

I'm worried for Cai Xukun and the idol industry in general. It seems the CCP are getting more repressive and I wonder if this a bad sign to come. They already banned hip hop from every mainstream media and now they are going after C-POP? 

 

Hip hop is not banned from every mainstream media, and online hot searches and fake likes should have been regulated a long time ago

[Moruk Laplamiz]

Hip hop is not banned from every mainstream media, and online hot searches and fake likes should have been regulated a long time ago

 

China has banned hip-hop culture and actors with tattoos from appearing on television.

The country’s top media regulator — the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People’s Republic of China (SAPPRFT) — now “specifically requires that programs should not feature actors with tattoos [or depict] hip hop culture, sub-culture (non-mainstream culture) and dispirited culture (decadent culture),†Sina, a Chinese news outlet, reports.

 

http://time.com/5112061/china-hip-hop-ban-tattoos-television/

[waycrispy1]

 

China has banned hip-hop culture and actors with tattoos from appearing on television.

The country’s top media regulator — the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People’s Republic of China (SAPPRFT) — now “specifically requires that programs should not feature actors with tattoos [or depict] hip hop culture, sub-culture (non-mainstream culture) and dispirited culture (decadent culture),†Sina, a Chinese news outlet, reports.

 

http://time.com/5112061/china-hip-hop-ban-tattoos-television/

 

 

I know what the articles say, if it was really banned Rap of China 2 would not have aired on iQiyi and the Singles Day Gala would not have let a hip hop artist perform on multiple tv stations. They also "banned" guys wearing earrings, but that ban lasted all of one episode.

[Moruk Laplamiz]

I know what the articles say, if it was really banned Rap of China 2 would not have aired on iQiyi and the Singles Day Gala would not have let a hip hop artist perform on multiple tv stations. They also "banned" guys wearing earrings, but that ban lasted all of one episode.

So as long as they don't make verses that goes against the CCP, they can perform on tv stations? 

[waycrispy1]

So as long as they don't make verses that goes against the CCP, they can perform on tv stations? 

 

Bans and blacklists never really last long and it's mostly someone from the higher ups saying we don't like this or that, the platforms or stations kind of self ban until they feel it's not necessary anymore. People on OH take all these bans so seriously. Time and time again it just goes back to what it was before. Or it wasn't even a thing like hip hop on tv, before the supposed ban, there was no hip hop on tv anyway, because the tv demographic is probably 35+, nobody under that age even watches tv anymore.

[Briana]

I honestly agree with this regulation

[peperoni]

I'm worried for Cai Xukun and the idol industry in general. It seems the CCP are getting more repressive and I wonder if this a bad sign to come. They already banned hip hop from every mainstream media and now they are going after C-POP? 

I really don"t know but TFBoys is being supported by the government I doubt it will affect them

[haruko]

omg 

[Drama Drama Drama]

I really don"t know but TFBoys is being supported by the government I doubt it will affect them

Role models and nation's sons.