Weibo Pulls Celeb Ranking List After State Media Raps 'Unworthy' Stars

SHANGHAI - China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo said on Friday it would take down an online list that ranks celebrities by popularity after state media said social media platforms ought to rein in the promotion of celebrity culture to protect children.

The announcement came hours after the state-owned People's Daily published an editorial criticizing platforms that prioritize traffic and create celebrities out of "unworthy" individuals, who can draw attention and money from fans. It did not name any companies. Weibo said its decision to take down the "star power list," which ranked celebrities based on the popularity of their social posts and number of followers, was partly due to the "irrational support" some fans were showing for celebrities.