From Internet-famous bread and bookstores to popular towns and coffee shops that won fame
online, products and services that have caused an online sensation are springing up everywhere,
which also indicates that Internet celebrity economy moves onto the fast lane of development in
China.
The business model of this particular kind of economy is not complicated. It’s mainly about
gathering fame and popularity on the Internet and social media platforms and translating them into
purchasing behavior, thus realizing the value of notability.
The continuous development of Internet celebrity economy in China reflects the vitality and
potential of the Chinese economy. Statistics showed that the number of people engaging in online
marketing in China has exceeded 10 million while the number of relevant organizations has risen
rapidly and the annual output value of the country’s Internet celebrity industry has reached 100
billion yuan ($15.69 billion).
Internet celebrity economy has become a highlight of China’s social and economic development.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Internet celebrity economy featuring
livestreaming marketing and other new business forms has not only brought convenience to
consumers, but created a huge number of jobs and incubated new professions, such as
livestreaming salesperson and online marketer.
While developing rapidly in China, Internet celebrity economy also faces some troubles. Internet
celebrities’ words and deeds have a strong demonstration effect on their followers, and their
influence and appeal greatly affect the consumer behavior of Internet users.
However, some livestreamers have infringed on the legitimate rights and interests of consumers by
exaggerating the benefits of products, excessively marketing products, selling products of poor
quality, and failing to guarantee due after-sales service.
On the other hand, dishonest behavior and malpractices in the livestreaming e-commerce industry,
including faking business data, reviews and viewership data, have undermined consumers’
confidence and trust in shopping via livestreaming platforms and contaminated the ecology and
environment of the industry.
Only by paying great attention to and solving these problems can the country continuously enrich
and improve the conditions for the healthy growth of Internet celebrity economy.
China has never stopped making efforts to promote the sound and orderly development of Internet
celebrity economy. The country has released a lot of policies to regulate the industry. It has
cracked down on fraudulent online activities including faking sales data and reviews, stipulated
the minimum age of livestreaming marketing practitioners and red lines for livestreaming
marketing activities, regulated the activities of Internet celebrities through education and training,
put main participants in livestreaming marketing activities, including platforms, suppliers of
products and livestreamers, under supervision, and taken effective measures to ensure that
entertainers who have engaged in illegal or unethical behavior are not given any opportunity to
publicly appear on screen.
While helping steer Internet celebrity economy onto a track of development based on the rule of
law, relevant policies launched by the country have also reminded every practitioner of the
industry that as they gain public attention, they must shoulder their social responsibility and set
examples of promoting and spreading positive energy.
As an important feature of the times, Internet celebrity economy enjoys broad prospects. It can
realize long-term development and generate greater economic and social benefits only by adhering
to mainstream values, improving professionalism, strengthening industry self-discipline, and
committing to bringing better products and experience to consumers.
