Celebrity worship being rooted out

Online lists ranking the popularity of individual celebrities or bands have been ordered to be taken down by China's top internet regulator amid new measures to rectify irrational support and even idolization of stars.

The Cyberspace Administration of China recently issued 10 new rules for both celebrity agencies and internet platforms with the intent of better managing fan quan or "fan circles". The requirements were publicized on Friday.

Fan quan are highly organized groups of passionate, loyal supporters who share information about their idols and voluntarily spend their time, money and expertise on making these performers－usually budding pop singer or actors－as popular and influential as possible.

The rise of fan quan has played a key role in driving the entertainment industry, but it has also triggered public concern after some were found to have lured fans to irrationally support their idols by raising money, flaunting their wealth or becoming involved in mudslinging exchanges with followers of rival performers.

To alleviate such social disturbances in cyberspace, the administration said internet platforms should draw up clear guidelines for studios or agencies tied to celebrities for online account registrations, posts, promotion, emergency public relations and fanbase management.

Online accounts of celebrities and their studios or companies will be prohibited from posting, and may even face shutdowns if they do not prevent fans from engaging in arguments, defamation or the dissemination of other harmful content on the internet, the authority said.

Internet platforms need to remove such posts in a timely manner or run the risk of harsher punishments, it added.

Meanwhile, online communities, groups and channels that lure fans to raise money for celebrities or share gossip about them will be cleaned up, and online programs and talent shows are also forbidden from encouraging fans to pay to vote for contestants, it said.

Zheng Ning, head of the Cultural Industries Management School's law department with Communication University of China, said the cyberspace administration's requirements and regulations addressing fan quan are needed, but they're still not enough.

Zheng called for more sectors of society to help carry out the regulations, suggesting that the country establish professional systems to evaluate celebrities' performance as well as what contributions they make to society.