Kuaishou’s top e-commerce influencer accuses platform of unfair treatment in rare public spat
- Xin Youzhi, widely known as Xinba, has stopped updating his social media since Saturday, when his shopping show on Kuaishou was abruptly paused
- The dispute is the latest example of the love-hate relationship between social media businesses and their A-list sellers
The top influencer on Kuaishou Technology, China’s No 2 short video platform, has complained about being unfairly treated in a rare open spat between a live streaming star and a major internet platform.
Xin Youzhi, widely known as Xinba, or The Lion King’s Simba in English, has stopped updating his social media since Saturday, when his shopping show on Kuaishou was abruptly paused after he claimed online that he was drunk, and accused Kuaishou of unfair treatment compared with other influencers.
He became emotional during a live shopping session, threatening to report “inappropriate practices” of the Hong Kong-listed firm to the Securities and Futures Commission.
Neither Kuaishou nor Xin immediately responded to a request for comment on Tuesday.
Shares of Hong Kong-listed Kuaishou Technology gained nearly 9 per cent on Tuesday.
The dispute between Kuaishou and Xin, who together with his apprentices contributed to a quarter of the platform’s gross merchandise volume in 2019, is the latest example of the love-hate relationship between social media businesses and their A-list sellers.
In December 2023, live-streaming e-commerce website East Buy fired its chief executive after he made comments angering fans of a top influencer on the platform. The star streamer, Dong Yuhui, was subsequently promoted to assistant of culture to the chairman Yu Minhong.
