Chinese public opinion is angry at ‘pouring milk into the sewer to support the idol’

The video appeared outraged the Chinese public. In it, some fans poured milk down the drain to support their idol at a talent show.

A talent show encouraged fans to buy milk to scan the QR code to support the idol. China’s top cyber watchdog has pledged to work harder in shaping how young people in the country follow and support celebrities on online platforms. This move came after the appearance of a video that angered the public. In which some fans poured milk down the drain to support their idol at a talent show. “We have made it a priority to control celebrity fan behavior this year,” said Zhang Yongjun, head of the comprehensive network management division of China’s Cyber ​​Administration. “We plan to fight firmly against those who incite young people to pursue the stars and severely punish the online platforms that allow these behaviors.” That was stated in a press conference on May 8 after the public vehemently opposed the video of fans of the famous talent show Youth With You pouring milk. The clip emerged after the show urged viewers to vote for their favorite contestant by buying bottled milk and scanning the QR code inside the lid of the box. Viewers realize that the more milk they buy, the more votes they love, and the higher chances of winning. This resulted in some fans buying more milk than they could consume, so they simply scan the code, then pour the milk away. Last week, iQiyi, the direct producer of the program and Mengniu, the dairy company that participated in the promotion, both apologized for the “spilling” incident. The show was also canceled. “There is nothing wrong with admiring the stars, but pursuing them without stopping is a problem,” said Zhang. He also explained why the Chinese government is determined to fight against those who incite young people to pursue celebrities in an irrational way and support idols by insulting other celebrities. In addition, the country’s government will also form a special group to study more about the behavior of young fans. They hope to encourage young people to idolize celebrities in a more alert and civilized manner. The battle against the cyber idol is one of a series of campaigns launched by the authorities to purify the network environment and promote the development of the Internet this year. At the same time, the campaign also includes the task of monitoring platforms that provide games, learning, and videos to strengthen the protection of users as minors. Dang Duong (According to China Daily)