Internet regulators in Beijing have launched a crackdown on social media groups formed by fans of entertainment idols, saying some of their behaviors are causing “chaos” in the country’s cyberspace and need to stop.

The celebrity fans often spread rumors, made malicious comments and picked fights with opposing groups, which were among actions disruptive to the country’s clean online environment, the Cyberspace Administration said on its WeChat social media account on Tuesday.

Some groups would encourage underage people to buy luxurious goods to show off their wealth, creating an adverse effect on young people, the official watchdog said. Fans were also found hiring other internet users to vote in online rankings or give flattering reviews so their favourite stars would move up on the charts, it added.

The watchdog warned that it would close down accounts and groups engaged in such conduct, while severely punishing service providers which allowed the problems to remain on their platforms.

Ahead of the regulatory notice, Chinese internet giant Tencent, which operates the instant messaging tool WeChat, on Sunday pledged to comply with government policy on reining in users who created fake accounts, manipulated surveys and went on lavish shopping sprees.

The misbehaviors of entertainment fans in China recently caught the attention of Chinese leaders after an online video showed a group pouring bottles of milk down the drain.

The fans were said to have opened the bottles only to take the caps, which were printed with a QR code that allowed them to vote for their idol in a survival reality show. Online platform iQiYi received an order from mainland authorities to suspend the show because of the food wastage.

Another recent event saw a group of fans rush into the first-class cabin of a domestic flight to get a glimpse of their idols when the plane was still taxiing on a runway after landing. The incident prompted the Aviation Administration on Sunday to issue a stern warning that entertainment fans could be blacklisted and banned from boarding for “irrational” behavior.

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