Chinese Influencer Beauty Filter Fail: China’s Female Streamer Lost 140,000 Followers After Glitch During Livestream

Mumbai, February 19: A viral social media episode has reignited the global debate over digital authenticity after a popular Chinese livestreamer reportedly lost 140,000 followers almost instantly following a technical glitch. During a recent live session, the Chinese influencer's real-time beauty filter malfunctioned for several seconds, replacing her carefully curated, doll-like digital avatar with her natural appearance.

While the sheer scale of the follower loss remains based on unverified social media claims, the incident has become a focal point for critics of the increasingly deceptive "filter culture" dominating Asian social media platforms. Chinese Influencer Zhou Yuan Under Investigation as ‘Sexual Intelligence’ Academy Teaching Women ‘How to Attract Men’ Earns INR 31 Crore.

Social Media Post Claiming Chinese Influencer Lost 140,000 Followers Goes Viral

Seconds of Reality: The Viral Glitch

"This Chinese female streamer reportedly lost 140,000 after the filter she was using malfunctions revealing her real face," the caption of the viral social media post read. It is reported that the incident occurred as the unidentified influencer was engaging with her audience from what appeared to be a home studio. A four-second clip, now circulating widely on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, captures the exact moment the AI-powered filter flickers out.

For a brief window, viewers saw the streamer with her natural skin texture and a warmer complexion. Within moments, the software recalibrated, restoring her pale, smooth skin and sharpened facial features. Despite the sudden shift, the streamer remained notably calm, adjusting her hair and continuing the broadcast without addressing the malfunction.

Unverified Claim of Influencer Losing '140,000' Followers Goes Viral

While the video clip itself is authentic, the narrative that she lost 1.4 lakh (140,000) followers in minutes is harder to verify. These figures originated from user-generated captions and viral threads rather than official platform metrics. Independent news organisations have noted that without access to the streamer's backend analytics of her social media profile, it is impossible to confirm the exact impact on her subscriber base. However, the viral nature of the claim suggests a significant public fascination with the "downfall" of digital perfection.

Mixed Public Reactions: 'Deception' vs 'Relatability'

The online response has been polarised, reflecting shifting attitudes toward social media standards:

• The Critics: Many users accused the influencer of "scamming" her audience, particularly those who send virtual gifts - often purchased with real money - based on a creator's appearance.

• The Supporters: Conversely, a growing number of commenters argued that her unfiltered look was "prettier" and "more genuine," calling the filtered version "ghost-like" and "uncanny."

• The Ethicists: Experts point to the incident as evidence of how deeply "look-ism" is embedded in the creator economy, where influencers feel pressured to use extreme filters to secure financial validation from viewers. Chinese Influencer Dies After Binge-Drinking Alcohol: Zhong Yuan Huang Ge Aka Brother Huang Passes Away After Binging Excessive Amounts of Baijiu During Viral 'PK' Challenge.

A Recurring Problem in Livestreaming

This 2026 episode draws inevitable comparisons to the 2019 "Your Highness Qiao Biluo" scandal. In that case, a streamer who portrayed herself as a young girl was revealed to be a 58-year-old woman after a similar glitch. Unlike the 2019 incident, which led to a permanent ban for the creator involved, current regulations in China are moving toward mandating "transparency labels" for filtered content.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 19, 2026 08:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).