In Depth: Brands Worry About Growing Sway of China’s Star Livestreamers

Chinese livestreaming platforms and the brands that advertise on them are facing a conundrum familiar to any Hollywood producer: they’re having trouble reining in their stars.

Paid by brands to hawk products on platforms like Pinduoduo and Kuaishou, influencers grow in power as they grow in popularity. That can benefit those who nurtured them, bringing more eyeballs for longer, but it also puts them at their mercy.