Mr. Yin sold millions through a feature on Kuaishou that allows viewers to purchase products advertised by influencers at online retailer JD.com without leaving the video app. It was unclear whether he had ties to the manufacturers of the counterfeit products he was making or whether brand collaborations and paid advertising need to be posted on the Kuaishou platform. During the broadcast, he denied promoting the products for a profit. He could not be reached for comment.
While many viewers in China expect or even seek some level of product promotion with their entertainment, Mr. Yin’s use of an important life event as bait for some has crossed the line. Many complained online that the livestream wedding had become an engagement show.
One user named OrangeVenus wrote: “99% of the shows were boring introductions to goods. It is no different from the advertising sites on Taobao. “
“Yin Shihang should have been banned a long time ago,” said another.
However, some said the platform’s punishment was excessive and that they missed the influencer’s gimmicks.
Mr. Yin never advertised the marriage proposal as a surprise. He and his girlfriend Tao Lulu had split up and reconciled several times in the past, according to local news outlets. But she wore a white lace dress for her engagement and appeared in a teaser video with Mr. Yin to announce the date and time of the special event.
After stumbling into the room on the pony, Mr. Yin held up and detailed items such as a scratch-free mirror, necklaces, and lipstick that he claimed he had for his girlfriend before May 20, an unofficial Valentine’s Day made to measure in china when romantic partners buy gifts for each other. (The date 520 sounds vaguely like “I love you” in Mandarin.)
Following the engagement scandal, Kuaishou, who forbids the “malicious creation of gadgets to get clicks and likes” and various forms of “vulgarity”, said that he would create sensational and “vulgar hype” for the purpose of promoting and combating products to sell.