Two fans of Chinese actor Wang Yibo have been arrested for illegally tracking his car.
Beijing police issued a notice stating that the suspects had installed a secret tracking device on Wang’s car and illegally sold his location information to make a profit. The pair then apparently went on social media to brag about how they gained insight on his whereabouts.
Yuehua Entertainment released a statement that they found a tracking device in #WangYibo‘s car. The illegal item has been reported to the police.#Cpop pic.twitter.com/BaLTuYNSNo
— Daily Cpop News (@DailyCpop) July 15, 2021
This blatant invasion of privacy and endangerment of Wang’s safety prompted a furious backlash not only from his fans but also from millions of other Weibo users.
Fans voiced their anger online, calling out the poor behavior and demanding that further action be taken.
“This is not something that a fan should do to their idols. This is definitely a criminal act,” wrote one fan. Another netizen condemned the two fans, noting that “they’re stalkers instead of true fans of Wang Yibo. I think they’re more anxious for the profits from selling his private information than for simply appreciating him.”
This isn’t the first time that Wang has been the target of crazy admirers. Back in 2020, fans also planted a tracking device in his car.
The 2020 incident prompted the star’s management to release a statement pleading with fans to leave him in peace.
“Please do not follow our cars, chase after our cars or follow us onto planes. Do not gather and mob (our artists) in public places like airports, hotels, and shooting locations. Do not sell information about schedules, locations, and photos of film shoots that are not meant to be released to the public,” read the statement.
However, it seems these pleas have fallen on deaf ears. Recently, China’s fan culture has been getting increasingly out of hand. Idols have continuously been targeted by obsessive fans invading their privacy and behaving disrespectfully.
In May of this year, more than 200 celebrity fan clubs and entertainment companies published written proposals online to regulate the chaotic industry and protect idols. Guidelines mentioned cyberbullying, celebrities’ rights to privacy, and ways to support idols.
Related:
Cover image via Pixabay
