Kerry Allen

Today, China's top internet regulator released a statement saying that there's a need to stamp out what it calls fan club disorder in China's entertainment industry. According to the Cyberspace Administration of China, a number of social media accounts have been shut down today, as social media users have started to emerge who are calling themselves paparazzi.

Today, China's top internet regulator released a statement saying that there's a need to stamp out what it calls fan club disorder in China's entertainment industry. According to the Cyberspace Administration of China, a number of social media accounts have been shut down today, as social media users have started to emerge who are calling themselves paparazzi.

They're secretly photographing and following celebrities in order to get scoops. Some of these accounts have become very popular in recent months, with young Chinese regarding names like Liu Dachui and Wang Dafai as showbiz insiders. It's unclear who runs these accounts as the owners disguise themselves, but they've definitely set tongs wagging with many of their claims.

They're secretly photographing and following celebrities in order to get scoops. Some of these accounts have become very popular in recent months, with young Chinese regarding names like Liu Dachui and Wang Dafai as showbiz insiders. It's unclear who runs these accounts as the owners disguise themselves, but they've definitely set tongs wagging with many of their claims.

China's regulator says these accounts have been spreading vulgar hype, gossip and scandal and basically polluting China's online media environment. This goes against the positive energy that President Xi Jinping has said he wants people to spread online. and so anything that's seen as negative is quite often censored on Chinese social media.

China's regulator says these accounts have been spreading vulgar hype, gossip and scandal and basically polluting China's online media environment. This goes against the positive energy that President Xi Jinping has said he wants people to spread online. and so anything that's seen as negative is quite often censored on Chinese social media.

China has one of the most tightly controlled media environments in the world, and administrators of social media platforms like Sina Weibo routinely remove posts that are seen to damage the online environment. That means bullying, trolling and harmful material is often taken down, but so is anything that's critical of the ruling Communist Party.

China has one of the most tightly controlled media environments in the world, and administrators of social media platforms like Sina Weibo routinely remove posts that are seen to damage the online environment. That means bullying, trolling and harmful material is often taken down, but so is anything that's critical of the ruling Communist Party.

Crackdowns on accounts associated with celebrities have been pretty common in recent months. In January, a number of online fan communities were disbanded associated with sporting stars. There are questions to be asked about why the Communist Party is taking such an interest. There's an argument to be made that they're simply responding to what they see as increasingly obsessive behaviour.

Crackdowns on accounts associated with celebrities have been pretty common in recent months. In January, a number of online fan communities were disbanded associated with sporting stars. There are questions to be asked about why the Communist Party is taking such an interest. There's an argument to be made that they're simply responding to what they see as increasingly obsessive behaviour.

But equally, the Communist Party wants to maintain an ideological and cultural grip on young Chinese. If they're increasingly wooed by celebrity culture, Communist Party messaging might not be reaching them in the same way.

But equally, the Communist Party wants to maintain an ideological and cultural grip on young Chinese. If they're increasingly wooed by celebrity culture, Communist Party messaging might not be reaching them in the same way.

The shouts you can hear in this clip are from a 10-year-old boy who's been on quite an adventure. A little boy known as A Liang had gone fishing last Friday in Chuling, which is a coastal village in South China's Hainan province. He'd been hoping to catch some squid and not telling his parents had taken out a little green rowing boat in the hope of being able to catch some.

The shouts you can hear in this clip are from a 10-year-old boy who's been on quite an adventure. A little boy known as A Liang had gone fishing last Friday in Chuling, which is a coastal village in South China's Hainan province. He'd been hoping to catch some squid and not telling his parents had taken out a little green rowing boat in the hope of being able to catch some.

The shouts you can hear in this clip are from a 10-year-old boy who's been on quite an adventure. A little boy known as A Liang had gone fishing last Friday in Chuling, which is a coastal village in South China's Hainan province. He'd been hoping to catch some squid and not telling his parents had taken out a little green rowing boat in the hope of being able to catch some.

Only, he'd fallen asleep and had drifted out to sea with no food, water or protective clothing. Fortunately, this is a story with a happy ending. Last Saturday, nearly 24 hours after Aliang had gone missing, he was spotted at sea by a fisherman called Little Yang.

Only, he'd fallen asleep and had drifted out to sea with no food, water or protective clothing. Fortunately, this is a story with a happy ending. Last Saturday, nearly 24 hours after Aliang had gone missing, he was spotted at sea by a fisherman called Little Yang.

Only, he'd fallen asleep and had drifted out to sea with no food, water or protective clothing. Fortunately, this is a story with a happy ending. Last Saturday, nearly 24 hours after Aliang had gone missing, he was spotted at sea by a fisherman called Little Yang.

Yang was 10 nautical miles out from the city of Sanya, which is roughly 30 kilometres from Aliang's home village, and he spotted the little green rowing boat. At first he thought it was an extreme sports enthusiast until he heard the boy crying. He told media, when we could hear each other clearly, he burst into tears.

Yang was 10 nautical miles out from the city of Sanya, which is roughly 30 kilometres from Aliang's home village, and he spotted the little green rowing boat. At first he thought it was an extreme sports enthusiast until he heard the boy crying. He told media, when we could hear each other clearly, he burst into tears.