China's Hottest Livestream Trend: Fraud
SIXTH TONE SIXTH TONE China’s Hottest Livestream Trend: Fraud As the commercial livestreaming buzz fades, Chinese influencer agencies are searching for ways to keep viewing figures high. Many are turning to a tried-and-tested method: faking it. About halfway through the livestream, Li Huida felt her chest tighten with panic. She’d begun to suspect she’d been conned. Li, a marketing manager from the eastern city of Suzhou, had spent a small fortune to get a popular Chinese influencer to promote her company’s product — a meal-replacement shake — during a live show in mid-August. It ...