Chapter 155 Files
"Honestly, Seraphina's clueless. Leaving those old tweets up? Now that she's got a following, it's all coming back to bite her," Lily said, shaking her head in disbelief as she scrolled through Seraphina's online history. "Some people have zero self-awareness."
"Stupidity is one thing, but a lack of conscience is unforgivable," Skyview said, his voice cold. "She wants to self-sabotage? I'm happy to oblige. Streamers like her need to be banned for life. It's for the good of society."
Skyview had initially questioned the government's crackdown on the streaming industry, finding it heavy-handed. But now, he understood. Without regulation, it was a free-for-all, a breeding ground for chaos.
Every industry went through a messy, chaotic phase in its infancy. But as it matured, it had to evolve, aligning itself with societal norms and promoting positive values. It had to set a good example.
Took Hollywood for an example, The blockbuster hits, the ones that resonated with audiences worldwide, weren't niche or bizarre. They celebrated friendship, romantic and family loves. Good triumphed over evil, and light banished darkness. They understood their responsibility as cultural influencers.
Given the rapid expansion of the livestreaming industry, it was inevitable that the government would take notice. With the proliferation of issues within the sector, regulatory scrutiny was bound to follow suit.
It was the same principle behind the crackdown on the entertainment industry. Both were public platforms, their stars and streamers public figures, and their reach and influence undeniable. The only difference was the scale.
Every action, every word uttered by a public figure, had an impact. If they couldn't be bothered to conduct themselves with a modicum of decency, if they engaged in morally reprehensible or illegal activities, it eroded the very fabric of society.
The government's hard line on drug use among celebrities was a prime example. One strike, and they were out.
Skyview wholeheartedly agreed with the government's methods. Morally corrupt celebrities had no place in the public eye. And streamers, with their direct access to millions and their influence over young minds, were held to an even higher standard.
Golden Valley was, if anything, stricter than Evalia when it came to online behavior. If the government decided to make an example of Seraphina, her career would be toast.
"Good riddance," Lily said with a shrug, adding Seraphina's name to her growing list. "If you can't handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen, right?" Next to Seraphina's name, she wrote: [Inappropriate remarks, sensitive incident, minimum ban.]
With Lily's pen stroke, Seraphina's fate was sealed. Unfortunately, Seraphina herself remained oblivious, possibly asleep at this very moment!
Skyview moved on to the next file, on which there was a streamer named Lumi Beaumont. She wasn't originally on Shark, a recent recruit from a rival platform.
Shark's current focus was on gaming, followed by singing and dancing. But the gaming scene was tough to crack, the real winners being the game developers themselves.
Singing and dancing attracted a predominantly female streamers, but the talent pool was shallow, their skills mediocre at best.
Hilda's vision for Shark was a hybrid, a cross between a traditional TV station and a star-making machine. He wanted to cultivate his own stable of celebrities, with Elowen as his flagship star.
He'd poured money into promoting her, even paying for appearances on various TV shows. But Elowen lacked that certain something, that star quality. Her career remained stagnant.
And one Elowen wasn't enough to carry an entire platform. Hilda had tried to promote Seraphina, but her loose cannon mouth and crippling stage fright had made her a liability.
Her attempts at being a charming sidekick on variety shows had fallen flat. She lacked charisma, so Hilda had eventually cut his losses.
Then, a stroke of luck. Seraphina's cover of a popular song went viral, breathing new life into her flagging career. Hilda, ever the opportunist, decided to repackage her as a singer.