Last Friday afternoon, a couple of days after the start of an eight-day holiday in China, pedestrians near a busy intersection in Beijing’s Haidian district heard a loud crash. A black Rolls-Royce Spectre smashed into a small, white passenger car that was in use as a Didi, China’s equivalent of Uber.
The impact was enough to severely damage the front of the Rolls-Royce and all its airbags popped out immediately to protect its driver. The Didi driver in the other car was less fortunate, and he was taken to the hospital, where they diagnosed multiple fractures.
Eyewitnesses said the Rolls-Royce was travelling at speed in the wrong direction when it crashed into the smaller car, which was driving normally in the right lane. Pictures of the scene taken immediately after the incident and posted online appeared to confirm that version of events.
It did not take long for social media users to identify the Rolls-Royce driver as Chen Zhen, one of China’s most popular motoring experts with an online following of about 20 million people. A former professional racing driver, Chen is known for his hard-hitting critiques of the latest models and his passion for driving as a form of adventure.
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In the hours after the incident, social media users catalogued Chen’s history of traffic violations, including offences for speeding and using a mobile phone while driving. Some reposted a statement Chen made previously that he chose only the minimum statutory insurance for his car, so that he was not covered for high repair costs and compensation for the injured Didi driver.
As the day wore on, social media users became impatient, demanding that Chen respond to the story and apologise. Meanwhile, it emerged that the Didi driver’s injuries were not only serious but would prevent him from making a living for some time.
“We have two children, four elderly people in need of care, and now I have a husband with multiple fractures. The days ahead will be very difficult, I don’t know how to live,” the driver’s wife posted on social media on Saturday.
That day, Chen issued an apology, accepting full responsibility for the crash and promising to bear all its negative consequences without complaint. The following day, he apologised again to the injured driver and his family, adding that he would pay appropriate compensation to ensure they had nothing to worry about.
Chen’s apologies did little to slow down the online pile-on, as social media users lined up to condemn his behaviour as setting a bad example to others. His delay in responding to the social media furore seemed to fuel as much of the online anger as the actual offence itself.
Chen is part of a crowded field of Chinese celebrities who have been brought low by the very media that elevated them to fame in the first place. He was not even the most prominent figure to suffer the same fate in the past week.
Last Sunday, Li Xiang posted a set of nine photographs on her Weibo social media account, showcasing her itinerary with her daughter, Wang Shiling, during Paris Fashion Week. A former host of Happy Camp, a variety show on Hunan TV, Li is now best known for her success in live streaming ecommerce.
One of the live photographs included audio of what appeared to be Li’s daughter denigrating a rising young actress called Zhou Ye. Zhou’s fans led the backlash, but it gathered pace as social media users blamed Li for her daughter’s behaviour and became angrier as she declined to make any public comment on the controversy.
The Cyberspace Administration of China (Cac), which oversees the digital space, last month launched a national campaign against divisive, pessimistic and aggressive online posts. Some influencers have had their social media accounts suspended after being accused of spreading despair or stoking antagonism between different groups in society.
The two-month campaign will focus on everything from social media posts and short videos to online recommendations and comments. It promises to crack down on the spread of conspiracy theories, actions that incite violence and the use of AI-generated images of violence.
“Platforms are urged to take corrective actions and conduct thorough self-inspections to close loopholes and ensure a healthy online environment. Meanwhile, online users and all sectors of society are encouraged to actively report violations and work together to resist malicious incitement of negative sentiments,” the Cac said.
