A Chinese influencer with more than 12 million followers has been banned from multiple social media platforms after broadcasting footage of his wife’s difficult 23-hour labor, which included what appeared to be a paid advertisement for diapers.
The creator, who goes by ‘Paul in USA’ online, documented the entire delivery process and shared it publicly on Chinese social media. The video showed his wife’s exposed body during labor and captured serious medical complications that developed during childbirth.
According to reports, the labor lasted nearly a full day and involved life-threatening complications. His wife experienced a third-degree perineal tear and a major postpartum hemorrhage, losing more than 3,000ml of blood, which is equivalent to approximately 6.6 pounds (3kg). She ended up requiring an emergency operation and transfusion.
Medical staff ultimately confirmed that both mother and baby were stable following the ordeal.
Throughout the medical emergency, the influencer continued recording, including moments when his wife screamed in pain and received urgent treatment from hospital staff.
The controversy intensified when viewers noticed that the video contained what appeared to be a paid diaper advertisement. The influencer reportedly read a promotional script for the product while his wife was being treated for complications.
The footage quickly sparked widespread condemnation across Chinese social media. Many users accused the creator of putting content creation and financial gain ahead of his partner’s privacy and wellbeing during one of the most vulnerable moments of her life.
Following the public outcry, the video was taken down and his accounts were banned on Chinese platforms including Weibo and Douyin for violations related to privacy and commercial ethics standards.
Paul, born in 1990, is a graduate of Columbia University and previously worked as a product manager at Microsoft in Seattle. He began creating content in 2019, posting videos about life in the United States. His Douyin account had grown to over 12 million followers before the ban.
In response to the backlash, his wife later spoke about the situation, explaining that the couple wanted to authentically document the childbirth process. She stated they hoped to help others understand the risks and unpredictability involved in giving birth.
