In a bid to enhance platform integrity, Douyin, China’s counterpart to TikTok, has launched a major crackdown targeting accounts that misuse exaggerated or fabricated identities to mislead users and generate profit.

The initiative, announced on Monday, aims to address the growing issue of “we-media” accounts that falsely claim to be high-ranking company executives, renowned experts, or self-styled “masters” to gain users’ trust. These accounts often direct users to third-party platforms, resulting in financial and emotional losses for unsuspecting individuals.

Douyin’s statement highlighted that such activities are severe violations of platform regulations and compromise user confidence. The platform has called on affected accounts to either correct their misinformation, provide legitimate documents for verification, or face removal of their content and potential bans.

Starting immediately, Douyin will implement a special rectification campaign targeting these problematic accounts. Measures include resetting usernames, removing videos, revoking business authorizations, excluding accounts from search results, and imposing bans.

Particularly in focus are accounts that claim prestigious positions or expertise without proper verification. This includes unverifiable claims by individuals such as “relationship gurus,” “entrepreneurship mentors,” and “emotional therapists.” Notably, cases like that of Li Yizhou, a career influencer who falsely claimed to be the “Chinese AI godfather,” have sparked controversy. Li’s exaggerated claims and subpar course quality led to widespread refund demands and copyright disputes, ultimately resulting in a ban on his social media accounts.

Douyin’s campaign underscores a broader effort to maintain a transparent and trustworthy online community by curbing deceptive practices and reinforcing user protection.