A Chinese influencer known as the "Chinese Kim Kardashian" has been banned from Chinese social media platforms due to excessive displays of wealth. The 31-year-old Wang Hongquanxing, who once boasted about not leaving home without wearing clothes and jewelry worth at least $1.4 million, is the latest example of Beijing's efforts to control the culture promoted on Chinese social media.

Wang, along with other well-known influencers, was banned from platforms such as Weibo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu last week for promoting "flashy standards" and flaunting their wealth. All of Wang's social media profiles have been made inaccessible, as he failed to comply with China's self-discipline rules for social media.

"This is a very visible spectacle reminding people of the authority of the government," Carwyn Morris, assistant professor for China's digital infrastructure at Leiden University, told the Financial Times. For the Chinese Party, this ban has the advantage of being seen as morally justified, he added.

Many Chinese may view such content as vulgar, especially given the current economic difficulties in China. The ban on this type of content makes the government appear more moral and reputable in its actions, Morris noted.

China's economy grew at an annual rate of about 5% in the first quarter, but analysts say other indicators suggest real conditions are more challenging than official figures imply, making the authorities even more sensitive to potential sources of public discontent. The social media campaign began in April when the Cyberspace Administration of China, the internet watchdog, announced it would restrict behaviors such as flaunting wealth on platforms.

Online platforms have pledged to crack down on content involving extravagance, waste, display, and materialism.

Wang had appeared online bathing in jade and pink diamonds and once boasted about owning seven apartments. Other banned influencers include Sister Abalone, a socialite who gave online tours of her antique houses in Macau, and Mr. Bo, who was addicted to luxury goods.