House Hunters’ Cast Members Criticize Xiaohongshu’s Censorship: “Increasingly Absurd” – Warning of Platform’s Decline

CNBC AI News – In a candid social media post, actress Yifan Shao, known for her role in the popular Chinese drama “I Will Find You a Better Home,” has voiced her frustrations with the content moderation process on the lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RED.

Shao detailed her experience with a travel vlog that, despite initially passing review, garnered zero views and was only visible to herself. After seeking assistance and repeatedly tweaking her content for hours, it eventually went live, albeit still limited in visibility. Her post highlights a trend of increasingly stringent content checks, claiming that Xiaohongshu posts often experience delays when compared to other platforms.

The actress also noted instances where content appears to be approved, only to remain hidden from other users. The platform’s customer service, she said, offered little explanation for these issues.

Shao’s central critique centers on Xiaohongshu’s moderation system, which she believes is “flawed”. She suggests that the system relies too heavily on keyword detection, leading to inconsistent and often frustrating results.

The perceived issue is that users are forced to self-censor their content to avoid triggering the AI moderation system.

Shao predicts that the platform’s over-reliance on AI moderation could ultimately lead to content being generated by AI and reviewed by AI — potentially resulting in a sterile platform.

Her criticisms have resonated with many users, who have also expressed concerns about the platform’s content review process.

Born in 1989, Shao Yifan holds a degree from the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to her acting career, she worked for companies like New Oriental and Siemens.

Her professional background includes being stationed in Iraq for China National Petroleum Corporation.

Shao’s public journey includes appearances on dating shows and talent competitions.

Her acting career gained significant traction in 2020 with her role in “I Will Find You a Better Home”.

She continued her momentum with roles in various films and TV series in subsequent years.