BEIJING: An online influencer in China with more than 30 million followers has been banned from social media and ordered to pay compensation to her former boss after a court ruled that she fabricated a rumour of being sexually harassed by him.
The blogger, identified by her alias Xiaohuijun, was famous in the cosplay community. Her real surname is Liu.
On China’s two leading social media platforms she had a total of 33 million followers before the legal conflict erupted.
At the end of 2020, she released videos accusing Sun Haoyu, the owner of her agency Qinhuangdao Chidu Entertainment, of sexually harassing her and forcing her to sign arbitrary documents.
Sun denied the allegations and filed a lawsuit against Liu.
He announced he won the case on social media on April 19, the video news website Pear Video reported.
According to the verdict, Liu was banned on two social media platforms and ordered to pay Sun a compensation of 600,000 yuan (US$82,000), and another 60,000 yuan to cover his losses from the lawsuit.
Sun did not identify the court which made the verdict.
Liu was also told to make a public apology to Sun within six months.
Since her social media accounts were banned, she should find a national media outlet to post her apology.
“Justice may be late, but it will never be absent,” Sun said in his video.
“I would like to tell my audiences that if you encounter similar situations like me, please use legal weapons to safeguard your rights.”
Liu had previously accused Sun of sexually harassing during online chats.
While Sun denied her complaint, Liu defended herself in tears in a live-streaming session: “You think I am hyping things up? I am 22 years old and I am a virgin. I will never do this kind of thing to ruin my innocence.”
She also presented a hospital document in a bid to prove that she got depression as a result of Sun’s harassment.
Before this lawsuit filed by Sun, his company also sued Liu in 2021.
In June 2022, a court in Qinghuangdao of northern Hebei province ruled that the sexual harassment allegation claimed by Liu was fabricated.
She was using public opinion to force the company to lower the costs it required her to pay for cancelling their contract, the court’s verdict said.
Liu was also ordered to pay 50,000 yuan (US$6,900) in compensation to the company and make an apology.
But Sun said she never apologised to him or his company.
He said his company endured tremendous losses over the past five years due to the sexual harassment rumours.
“Two-thirds of my staff quit the company. It is difficult for me to sign other bloggers,” said Sun. “My parents and I are suffering online violence, even receiving a death threat.” - South China Morning Post
