Chinese Merchant's Resemblance to National Leader Costs Him: Posts Deleted, Account Restricted
A Chinese jewelry seller in Shandong had his Douyin account restricted and all selfies deleted after users noted his facial resemblance to President Xi Jinping, preventing him from editing his profile for 30 days and hurting his business.
A businessman in Shandong province, China, who sells shell decorations and jewelry through the Douyin platform, found his account restricted simply because his appearance resembles Xi Jinping, China's president. Douyin deleted all his selfies and profile pictures, and prohibited him from editing personal information for 30 days, claiming his account contained "policy violations" including his profile picture, username, and description that allegedly breached platform rules.
When his images circulated online, netizens noted the resemblance to Xi Jinping in his facial features and complexion, though not an exact match. However, many felt the punishment for merely looking like a national leader was excessive.
The merchant himself expressed frustration, complaining that simply posting ordinary selfies has been deemed a "violation" and has directly impacted his ability to sell his products.
