China’s Weibo Shuts Accounts Defending Kris Wu Allegations

Kris Wu. (Reuters)
Kris Wu. (Reuters)
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China’s Weibo Shuts Accounts Defending Kris Wu Allegations

Kris Wu. (Reuters)
Kris Wu. (Reuters)

China’s microblogging platform Sina Weibo on Monday closed 145 accounts, some of which had defended pop star Kris Wu over his rape allegations, for publishing what it called “information harmful for maintaining social order.”

Wu, a Chinese-Canadian pop star, was detained on July 31 for “deceiving young women multiple times into having sexual relations” with him, according to Beijing police. His arrest came after several women said they were plied with alcohol and then either pressured to have sex with him or sexually assaulted.

Some of the Weibo accounts which were shut down had previously defended such allegations against Wu, according to state-run media outlet Global Times.

It was not immediately clear how many of the 145 accounts were shut down for defending Wu. Several other celebrities, such as debater and media personality Ma Weiwei, also had their accounts suspended after they defended earlier allegations against Wu in 2016, and have since apologized for their actions, according to the Global Times.

Weibo, often described as China’s Twitter, said in a post published Monday that the 145 accounts were shut down for publishing harmful information related to current affairs, defined as anything from “spreading rumors, disrupting state order and undermining social stability” to “publishing negative information that breaks the bottom line of social morality and the system.”

The shutdown of Weibo accounts highlights how internet and social media platforms are required to strictly comply with content guidelines and censorship rules in China, where authorities dictate what can or cannot be published online.

Authorities in China are quick to censor keywords and search terms deemed politically sensitive or harmful to society, and internet platforms are expected to comply according to the law.

Certain search terms, such as the names of Chinese artist-activist Ai Weiwei or late Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, turn up no results when searched on platforms like Weibo.

The shutdown of accounts also come at a time when the Chinese government has tightened its grip over the internet and technology sector.

In recent months, authorities have implemented anti-monopoly rules and data privacy laws to curb unfair market practices and prevent companies from unfairly collecting and profiting off users’ data.



Disney Brings the Grid, and the Light Bikes, with ‘Tron: Ares’ Footage at Comic-Con

 Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
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Disney Brings the Grid, and the Light Bikes, with ‘Tron: Ares’ Footage at Comic-Con

 Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)
Atmosphere at the "Tron: Ares" panel in Hall H of the convention center during Comic Con International in San Diego, California on July 25, 2025. (AFP)

The Grid took over Comic-Con on Friday, bringing the stars of the new "Tron: Ares" films to unveil footage and reveal the story behind the franchise's third movie.

The film stars Jared Leto, Jeff Bridges, Greta Lee and Jodie Turner-Smith as the story brings the virtual environment of the Grid, complete with light bikes, into the real world.

Disney showed off several minutes of footage, including a light bike chase scene in the real world and another in the red-hued Grid. Propelling the onscreen action is a propulsive Nine Inch Nails soundtrack.

"It’s fun to see it on the big screen for the first time," said director Joachim Rønning.

Disney turned the Hall H panel into a spectacle, with red lasers filling the room and characters in suits with red lights entering the massive hall.

Asked what excited her about joining the "Tron" franchise, Lee responded: "I just wanted to ride a light cycle."

Friday's panel ended with the premiere of the music video for "As Alive as You Need Me to Be," the first Nine Inch Nails song from the soundtrack.

"Tron" has never been in the top tier of sci-fi franchises. The original 1982 film starring Bridges as Kevin Flynn, a man sucked into a computer vortex known as the Grid, was admired for its ground-breaking concept and effects, and was a modest hit with moderately good reviews.

Perhaps more importantly, it won a cult following and has been maintained enough in cultural memory to remain a valuable property for Disney.

The 2010 film "Tron: Legacy," starring Bridges and Garrett Hedlund, made more than $400 million globally. A TV show that followed, "Tron: Uprising," lasted just one season.

Norwegian director Joachim Rønning has helmed other Disney franchise films: 2017’s "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales" and 2019’s "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil."

Leto and Bridges are both Oscar winners, and Rønning is an Oscar nominee.