Chinese Influencer Mengqiqi77 Banned from Weibo for Spreading False Information
Chinese social media influencer Mengqiqi77 (@蒙淇淇77) has been suspended from Weibo, China’s largest microblogging platform, for fabricating and disseminating false information and inciting antagonism between social groups, the platform announced on June 17. The case underscores Beijing’s intensifying efforts to regulate online content and combat misinformation under its “Clear and Bright” (清朗) cyberspace campaign.
Context
Mengqiqi77, who rose to national prominence in 2020 for popularizing “Versailles Literature” (凡尔赛文学) — a style of humblebragging that went viral on Chinese social media — had her account suspended after a week-long public dispute involving actress Bai Lu (白鹿) and prominent producer Yu Zheng (于正). According to The Paper, Weibo’s official community observer account @围脖侠 announced the ban in the late morning of June 17, citing violations of the platform’s community convention on “malicious marketing” behavior.
Mengqiqi77 originally gained fame for her highly stylized social media posts that ostensibly complained or made self-deprecating remarks while actually showing off wealth, status, and privilege. The term “Versailles Literature” drew from the opulence of the Palace of Versailles. In a 2020 interview with Phoenix News, she admitted that her posts contained “fictionalization and exaggeration,” acknowledging that she had built her following on artistic embellishment of her personal life. This history adds an ironic dimension to her downfall — the line between her admitted exaggeration of personal stories and the fabrication of factual claims about others proved consequential.
Key Developments
The controversy began on June 10 when Mengqiqi77 posted on Weibo accusing Bai Lu of replacing the entire screenwriting team of the drama “莫离” (Mo Li) just before production began. She claimed to have evidence but cited confidentiality agreements as the reason for not disclosing it, adding in a comment: “Bai Lu, what gives you the right to insert your own screenwriter just before filming starts?” The hashtag #蒙淇淇发文喊话白鹿# quickly trended on the platform.
The drama “莫离,” an ancient costume romance directed by Lin Yufen — known for hits like “The Journey of Flower” and “Eternal Love” — premiered on June 8 on CCTV-8 and Tencent Video, starring Bai Lu alongside Cheng Lei. The show is adapted from Feng Qing’s novel “The Prosperous Imperial Wife.”
Producer Yu Zheng, a long-time collaborator of Bai Lu, publicly defended the actress, posting chat screenshots with the actual screenwriter Zhao Na that debunked Mengqiqi77’s claims. As Red Star News reported, Yu Zheng remarked: “Talented people put their names on productions through talent; untalented people put their names on trending searches by tearing others down.”
Bai Lu’s legal representatives issued a formal statement on June 12 declaring that Mengqiqi77’s comments had seriously damaged the actress’s personal reputation and potentially infringed on her right to reputation. Bai Lu herself did not directly respond to the accusations.
On June 16, Mengqiqi77 posted an apology on Weibo, acknowledging that after “multiple verifications” she had confirmed her claims about Bai Lu were unfounded. She attributed her false accusations to confusion stemming from an earlier 2018 production incident involving the drama “凤囚凰” (Phoenix Prisoner Phoenix), which had also involved script changes.
Analysis
Weibo’s action against Mengqiqi77 is consistent with China’s broader “清朗” (Clear and Bright) campaign, launched by the Cyberspace Administration of China in 2021 to clean up the online environment. The campaign targets rumors, malicious marketing, online bullying, and incitement of social antagonism. The platform’s response was notably swift — Mengqiqi77 apologized on June 16, and the ban was imposed the very next day, suggesting Weibo is using this high-profile case to send a broader message about acceptable online behavior.
A significant aspect of this case is the tension between legitimate rights protection (维权) and defamation. Weibo’s announcement explicitly stated: “Rights protection must be based on objective facts. If there is no factual basis, the platform will manage it as false information. Do not use the name of ‘rights protection’ to engage in rumor-mongering.” This clarifies that claiming to exercise one’s rights does not provide immunity from platform rules against spreading false information — a principle with significant implications for how Chinese netizens approach public complaints and accusations.
The case also highlights the power dynamics between traditional celebrities with institutional backing and online influencers. Bai Lu, supported by Yu Zheng’s production company, was able to respond through formal legal channels, including a formal legal statement issued on June 12 declaring that Mengqiqi77’s comments had potentially infringed on her right to reputation. Mengqiqi77, despite her substantial online following, faced swift platform enforcement when her claims were found to be baseless.
Weibo’s detailed policy statement, issued alongside the ban, emphasized that the platform “supports legitimate rights protection and encourages rational expression” but drew a firm line: “Rights protection does not equal rumor-mongering, and speaking out does not mean one can defame others.” The statement also reaffirmed the platform’s commitment to maintaining a “clean and upright online ecosystem” — language that directly echoes the official rhetoric of the “清朗” campaign.
What’s Next
The suspension serves as a warning to Chinese influencers and content creators about the consequences of using their platforms to make unsubstantiated claims, even if framed as “rights protection.” It remains unclear how long the suspension will last, what conditions must be met for reinstatement, or whether Mengqiqi77 will face legal consequences beyond the Weibo ban. The case is likely to be referenced by Chinese platforms as a precedent in future content moderation decisions.