14-Year-Old Donates $25,000 to Female Streamer
Mr. Zhang, who runs an electronics business, often lets his son check inventory using his personal phone. Recently, after work, he noticed a charge of about 50,000 yuan (roughly 175 million VND) on his livestream platform account. When he asked his 14-year-old son, the boy admitted he used his dad’s phone to send money to a female streamer.
Family Secret Exposed Because of Donations
After the incident, Mr. Zhang asked his son, “Why did you spend so much money on a streamer when you just watch livestreams?” The boy said he once saw his dad playing livestreams and asked if giving many gifts cost a lot. His dad told him it didn’t cost money because the money recharged would be “refunded.”
In reality, this embarrassed the dad because it revealed he spends about 200,000 yuan (nearly 800 million VND) a year on livestreams, totaling around 1 million yuan so far. The actual refund amount is very small.
Still, the dad said, “I’ve been watching and donating to female streamers for years without complaints because I’m an adult responsible for my actions. But this time, my son spent money without my knowledge, so I feel the need to protect my rights.”
After receiving Mr. Zhang’s complaint, the livestream platform is verifying the information with the streamer. If eligible, they will approve and refund the money.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Zhang said the situation not only embarrassed him but also made him want to warn other parents to avoid similar problems.
A Father’s Realization
Impact on His Son
Taking Responsibility
Over the past four years, Mr. Zhang has been heavily involved in livestreams and now realizes his son was influenced by his behavior. He admits he hasn’t been a good father.
When asked how much he’s spent over the years and about his son’s school performance, Mr. Zhang said, “My son isn’t doing very well in school.” He also admitted, “I’ve thought about how this affects him. Sometimes I limit his phone use, like if he has a bad week at school or misbehaves, I won’t give him the phone when he asks.”
Difficulties with the Refund Process
After the incident, Mr. Zhang reported it to the hotline 12345. He got a call from the livestream platform’s culture department saying they talked to the service provider. They asked him to apply for a refund on the platform, which would be approved if eligible.
He explained, “The third-party platform required me to upload documents like household registration for both me and my son. They also asked for a video explaining the whole situation. We had to clarify how my son downloaded the app and which streamer he donated to.”
Mr. Zhang said he was worried about sharing his household registration. After scolding his son, the boy went to live with his grandmother in the countryside, so they couldn’t make the video together. Because of this, he couldn’t complete the next steps on the platform.
Outcome from Authorities
Reporters contacted the cultural inspection team in Jianyang city for updates.
