TikTok Bans Zhang Lan and Wang Xiaofei's Accounts Indefinitely for Spreading False Information and Malicious Marketing
In recent days, the passing of Taiwanese actress Xu Xiyuan, also known as Da S, has sparked widespread attention and an outpouring of condolences from netizens. However, amidst the mourning, some accounts have taken advantage of the situation to sensationalize and spread false information, violating moral and ethical boundaries, disrespecting the deceased and their family, and harming the feelings of the public. In response to such behavior, Douyin (the Chinese version of TikTok) has taken firm action.
8 February 2025
According to an announcement by Douyin's Safety Center, certain accounts have been found to be spreading false information, misleading the public, and engaging in malicious marketing by utilizing the deceased for commercial gain. These actions not only violate Douyin's community guidelines but also demonstrate a blatant disregard for ethical standards. The accounts "I am Xia Xiao Jian," "Zhang Lan's Life," "Zhang Lan's Select," and "Wang Xiaofei" have been accused of spreading false information, conducting malicious marketing, and repeatedly posting content that infringes on the rights of others. Despite previous penalties, these accounts have failed to correct their behavior, leading Douyin to take the drastic measure of imposing an indefinite ban on them.
On February 8th, Douyin's safety center announced that several accounts, including those belonging to Zhang Lan and Wang Xiaofei, had been permanently banned from the platform. This decision was made in response to the accounts' malicious marketing tactics, which involved using the death of Xu Xiyuan (also known as Da S) to attract attention and gain commercial benefits. The accounts in question had published untrue and infringing content on multiple occasions, and despite receiving penalties, they had not corrected their behavior. As a result, Douyin's safety center decided to ban them permanently, citing the platform's community self-regulation convention and related regulations.
Douyin's vice president, Li Liang, explained the process behind the ban, stating that the platform had conducted multiple discussions and ultimately decided to ban the accounts due to their history of violating rules and failing to correct their behavior. This ban is likely to have a significant impact on Zhang Lan and Wang Xiaofei's commercial activities, as their Douyin accounts were an important channel for promoting their products and services. With the ban in place, their brand's exposure and product sales may decrease.
The process of handling the incident involved Douyin's safety center taking strict measures against accounts that publish rumors and engage in sensationalism. The center announced that it would impose temporary or permanent bans on such accounts, depending on the severity of the violation and the account's history of misconduct. In the case of the accounts belonging to Zhang Lan and Wang Xiaofei, the center found that they had repeatedly engaged in malicious marketing and spread false information, despite previous penalties. As a result, the center decided to impose an indefinite ban on the accounts.
Netizens have expressed mixed reactions to the ban, with some supporting Douyin's actions and others expressing regret over the banned accounts. Many believe that the ban is a necessary measure to maintain a healthy and respectful online community, while others hope that Zhang Lan and Wang Xiaofei will learn from their mistakes and return to the platform with a newfound sense of responsibility. Overall, the ban is seen as a positive step towards promoting a culture of respect and responsibility online, and netizens are encouraged to continue supervising and reporting any violations to ensure a clean and orderly community environment.
