Bad influence permeates fan circles

It is natural for youngsters to have idols and to dote on the celebrities they adore. Yet it is not uncommon nowadays to hear negative news concerning so-called fan circles, comprising passionate and loyal fans ready to devote their time and money to make their idols as popular and influential as possible and resisting anything that tarnishes the image they cherish of their idol.

Which explains why the authorities have launched campaigns lately to regulate the country’s often chaotic and sometimes harmful fan culture.

Some young fans have stolen their parents’ money to buy products endorsed by their idols. Others have indulged in online bullying of anyone who dares to say anything negative about their beloved stars.

There is no denying that the rapid development of online social media platforms has bonded fans of celebrities closer than ever before, and propelled their misguided zealotry to unprecedented highs. For example, after the official arrest of Chinese Canadian actor Kris Wu by police on rape charges this week, some of his fans continued to use online chat rooms to discuss how to “raise funds to rescue him”, exposing their ignorance about the law.

All these can be attributed to an unhealthy fan culture that has been thriving in recent years, fueled by the pursuit of followers and profits of those behind the celebrities, which largely victimizes teenagers who form the main force of star-chasing fans and who are yet to develop a mature outlook of life and correct understanding of social norms and values.

To free youngsters from the adverse influence of fan circles, it is pivotal to remove the soil in which such an unhealthy culture grows, by targeting lawbreaking acts in the world of entertainment and its fandom and cleaning up the internet environment for star-struck users.

Progress is being made in this regard as the country’s cyberspace watchdog has removed more than 150,000 pieces of harmful information from online platforms and shut down over 4,000 illegal accounts in its recent operations. But more work needs to be done to let celebrities and online platforms shoulder their social responsibilities.

While it is necessary to help young people to pursue stars in a rational way, it is more important to create a social environment where they can develop the sense of belonging and self-realization they find in fan circles.

So the task involves more than just cleanup campaigns.