Uniqlo denies video role
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Beijing police have arrested five people they say played a role in the filming of a video of a couple having sex in a Uniqlo fitting room in China’s capital.
The sheer number of people involved in the video, which has gone viral on social media networks around the world, has raised speculation the apparel retailer was somehow involved behind the scenes in engineering the video as a publicity stunt.
But the company has strenuously denied it had anything to do with the one minute long production, or endorses it. And such a viral campaign certainly does not fit with the company’s ethical positioning or its record of community involvement and sponsorships.
Some Chinese media say the police “suspect that the case may possibly be a publicity stunt by Uniqlo”, one going so far as to quote a Beijing lawyer saying the company could face a fine of between 200,000 and 1 million RMB (US$32,000 and $165,000) and have its trading licence revoked if it was found to be involved.
In a statement (not issued through Uniqlo’s normal media media channels) Uniqlo reportedly condemned the filming.
Since the video was uploaded, attracting attention from news organisations worldwide, the Sanlitun flagship in which it was filmed has become something of a tourist attraction, with people posing for photographs outside.
The young couple who had reportedly “only just met” were quickly identified via social media and have become celebrities on Chinese social media networks, albeit they have now reportedly been arrested and charged with indecency.
From censored stills posted online by news media outlets, the video appears to have been filmed entirely by mobile phone. So the involvement of an additional three people is puzzling unless they were responsible for its spread or reposting, rather than production as reported in China.
Meanwhile, Chinese authorities have summoned representatives of Tencent and Weibo to discuss how the video was so widely shared and viewable on its networks. Chinese law prohibits pornography.
Questions & Answers
Q.What penalties could Uniqlo face if found responsible for the video?
What penalties could Uniqlo face if found responsible for the video?
If Uniqlo is found to have engineered the video as a publicity stunt, it could face a fine ranging from 200,000 to 1 million RMB (US$32,000 to $165,000), and its trading licence might be revoked.
Q.Why are Tencent and Weibo representatives being summoned by Chinese authorities?
Why are Tencent and Weibo representatives being summoned by Chinese authorities?
Chinese authorities have summoned representatives from Tencent and Weibo to discuss the widespread sharing and viewing of the video on their social media networks, likely due to Chinese laws prohibiting pornography.
Q.Why is the involvement of three additional people in the video puzzling?
Why is the involvement of three additional people in the video puzzling?
The involvement of three additional people is puzzling because the video appears to have been filmed entirely by mobile phone. It suggests they might have been responsible for its spread or reposting, rather than production.
Q.What has happened to the Uniqlo store where the video was filmed?
What has happened to the Uniqlo store where the video was filmed?
The Sanlitun flagship store where the video was filmed has become a tourist attraction since the video went viral. People are now posing for photographs outside the shop.
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