A social media influencer named “Sanqiange,” which means “Brother Three Thousand,” was found dead just hours after filming a drinking competition involving Baijiu. The drink is a Chinese spirit with an alcohol content between 30% to 60%.
The dangerous TikTok challenge involved one-on-one battles and inners receive rewards and gifts from viewers. Losers often face punishment, such as drinking Baijiu.
Sanqiange’s friend said, “I don’t know how much he had consumed before I tuned in. But in the latter part of the video, I saw him finish three bottles before starting on a fourth.”
Influencer Dies After Livestreaming Himself Downing Bottles Of Alcohol: A Chinese influencer has died after taking part in an online challenge in which he drank copious amounts of alcohol in a short amount of time. Wang Sanqiange, who goes by Brother… https://t.co/viQtrkh47x pic.twitter.com/KTLBRhGCX1
— Dr John Wayne Wilson (@johnwayne1) May 29, 2023
The games ended at around 1 a.m. and by 1 p.m., he was found dead. According to Zhao, Wang was an honest and straightforward person. He had a history of filming himself participating in alcohol-related contests and sharing them on the app.
One of his videos, in which he presumably participated in his final challenge, went viral on Chinese social media but has since been removed. China’s live-streaming industry has become a multibillion-dollar market, with entrepreneurs competing to sell their products on social media platforms in real-time. However, it has attracted authorities’ attention due to some streamers’ extravagant lifestyles and offbeat challenges.
Chinese influencer Sanqiange dies after drinking seven bottles of Baijiu https://t.co/8bSCEaEBAD pic.twitter.com/cI0iZiHzYj
— Rosalina Kile (@rosalinakile) May 28, 2023
Following these concerns, the country’s broadcasting authorities have imposed restrictions such as banning under-16s from tipping streamers and limiting their access after 10 p.m.
The National Video and Television Administration and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism have also prohibited “31 misbehaviors by livestreamers,” including “encouraging vulgar user interaction or inciting fan attacks with rumors,” according to Global Times, a state media outlet. Wang’s death is likely to fuel debates on regulating the industry further.
TikTok has gained significant popularity from dancing and lip-syncing to comedy sketches, educational content, and public challenges. The platform has over 1 billion active users worldwide. The app’s short-form videos are easily absorb in today’s attention-deficit society. People are more likely to watch a 15-second video than a 3-minute video, and TikTok’s algorithm is very good at showing users videos that they’re likely to be interested in.
The user interface is also easy to use. Anyone can create a TikTok video, even if they’re not tech-savvy.
As a result of its popularity, TikTok has become a major force in the social media landscape. Brands are using TikTok to reach a younger audience, and influencers are using the app to build their followings. It’s still too early to say what the long-term impact of TikTok will be, but it’s clear that the app has already had a significant impact on the way people consume and share content.
