Barbie Hsu, a prominent Taiwanese celebrity, passed away on February 2 while vacationing in Japan with her family. Her untimely demise was followed by the transportation of her ashes back to Taiwan on a chartered flight, an arrangement made and financed by her family. However, controversy erupted when an account named "I am Xia Xiao Jian" falsely claimed that the flight expenses were covered by Wang Xiaofei, the son of Zhang Lan. This misinformation led to severe repercussions for the Wang mother-and-son duo on Douyin, a popular Chinese social media platform.
On February 8, coinciding with the seventh day since Barbie's passing and marking her third wedding anniversary with DJ Koo, Douyin announced the permanent ban of Zhang Lan and Wang Xiaofei's accounts. The platform cited violations including "violating public order and morality," "disrespecting the deceased and their family," and "hurting public sentiment." The decision followed allegations that Zhang Lan had spread inaccurate information about Barbie's children, which prompted Barbie's last Weibo post calling for action against such misinformation.
Dee Hsu, Barbie's sister, countered the claims of financial support from Zhang Lan and Wang Xiaofei. On February 6, she issued a statement via her manager asserting that all flight arrangements were handled by the Hsu family. Jetbay, the service provider, confirmed that Dee Hsu's company had authorized the costs, dispelling any false narratives circulated online.
The Douyin Security Centre accused Zhang Lan's account of promoting false content for commercial gain and creating unnecessary hype. Despite the opportunity to rectify these inaccuracies, Zhang Lan allegedly failed to take corrective measures. This negligence contributed to the indefinite ban of another account under Zhang Lan's name as well as Xiaofei's account on Douyin.
In an interview with Ifeng Finance, Zhang Lan denied any association with "I am Xia Xiao Jian," refuting claims that the account holder was her godson. This statement came amid rising public outcry, with netizens expressing their frustration and sympathy for Barbie Hsu. One netizen commented on social media, urging for justice and reflecting on Barbie’s suffering over the years:
"The Douyin accounts of the Wang mother-and-son duo have been permanently banned, people are also fighting for their ban on other platforms. It's been three years, Hsi-yuan (Barbie's birth name) has suffered."
In response to the online turmoil generated by these events, Dee Hsu reiterated her family's narrative and condemned the spread of falsehoods. Meanwhile, DJ Koo took to Instagram to honor his wedding anniversary with Barbie through a heartfelt message.
Barbie Hsu's personal life has been under scrutiny since her split from Wang Xiaofei in 2021. Their divorce was marked by public disputes and ongoing legal battles, adding layers of complexity to the current situation.
Leave a Reply