Amidst the whirlwind of social media, where every post is a window into someone’s life, some stories capture our attention and linger in our minds, begging us to question their authenticity. An influencer’s glamorous vacation in the heart of Paris takes an unexpected turn when she claims to have been handed lost homework books belonging to a Chinese boy. With earnest sincerity, she pledges to return the books to their rightful owner, igniting a wave of empathy and admiration from her followers. But as the tale unfolds, doubts begin to creep in, and the once-believable narrative unravels. Hop on for a journey of discovery as we unravel the fascinating tale of popular Chinese influencer Thurman Maoyibei and her bitter fall from grace.
Chinese authorities also availed the case of Thurman Maoyibei to prove that online falsehood will not be tolerated within the country no matter how insignificant it may seem, with their move to wipe out the online presence of the popular influencer who had reportedly amassed a collective following of 30 million across multiple Chinese platforms.
The concocted story
In a video uploaded on February 16th, the influencer whose surname is Xu, recounted an incident where a waiter in a Paris restaurant handed her two holiday workbooks found in the restroom. These workbooks bore the name of their owner, Qin Lang, a student in the first grade, class 8. She expressed her intention to return the workbooks to their rightful owner.
With each new school season, holiday homework poses a concern for many children. Some children may resort to various tactics to avoid their assignments, citing loss as a convenient excuse. Therefore, Ms Xu’s story resonated with the public and the 1 minute and 37 seconds long video stirred up conversation and prompted an online search for Qin. In the comments section, a user from Jiangsu, China claiming to be Qin’s uncle based on an IP display, stated that Qin attends Xichang Primary School. This comment garnered over 220,000 likes. Additionally, the user posted a video showing the purchase of the workbooks, though the video was swiftly removed for violating community guidelines.
Ms. Xu’s video garnered such extensive circulation that even state-affiliated media covered the story. Certain outlets went as far as contacting schools in attempts to locate the boy, only to discover that he was non-existent.
Approximately a week after the initial video’s release, Ms. Xu asserted in another video that she had reached out to the boy’s parents and returned the books.
An inquiry commenced following doubts regarding the videos’ authenticity.
Hailing from Hangzhou in southern China, the influencer has since expressed regret and admitted to fabricating the narrative.
Ms. Xu attributed her concoction of the story to her lack of legal awareness, acknowledging that her actions disrupted the online community and had widespread negative repercussions.
Police investigation and public reaction
Hangzhou police responded to complaints regarding Ms. Xu’s viral video and initiated an investigation. They determined that Ms. Xu and her associate had personally purchased the books to fabricate the viral video and proceeded to cancel her Douyin, Weibo, and BiliBili accounts.
Although numerous individuals supported the closure of her accounts, some questioned whether it was overly severe for what they deemed a “harmless joke”.
A prominent comment on Weibo stated, “She should have dedicated herself to producing authentic content for such a significant account.”
Another comment, garnering over 6,000 likes, remarked, “Fabricating the story was wrong, but isn’t this an excessive response? If every account is held to this standard, we’ll witness countless closures.
China’s Ministry of Public Security categorized the case as a “typical example” of its campaign against online misinformation. While much online censorship traditionally targets dissenting and political content, authorities have recently expanded their efforts to combat non-political online falsehoods.
Since December, the ministry has reported over 1,500 arrests related to online misinformation and more than 10,700 individuals receiving administrative penalties.
Influencer mania
Influencers, navigating the ever-shifting currents of digital fame, are resorting to unprecedented measures to maintain their relevance. From elaborate stunts to controversial narratives, they are pushing boundaries and testing the limits of public attention. In a landscape where trends fade as quickly as they emerge, these individuals are constantly innovating, adapting, and sometimes sacrificing authenticity in pursuit of the spotlight. As the competition for online attention intensifies, influencers are embracing the mantra of “whatever it takes” to remain at the forefront of the digital zeitgeist. In this digital circus, the motto is simple: “Stay relevant or risk being lost in the scroll!”. So keep your eyes and ears out as you navigate the fantastical world of influencer fiction, where truth is optional, but entertainment is guaranteed!
