A photo of Honghuahui or GDLF MUSIC in performance including Li Jingze (second right), who covers face with hands Photo: Sina Weibo account of GDLF MUSIC

A Chinese rapper cut his finger off during a livestream Monday night to prove his innocence in a sex scandal, which experts say reflects the unregulated Chinese live-streaming industry. 

The rapper, 24-year-old Li Jingze who goes by the stage name Beibei, is a member of the hip-hop group Honghuahui or GDLF MUSIC based in Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province. 

Short online videos show Li saying at a live-stream on Monday night that he would cut part of his little finger to "prove a clear conscience" in response to online sex scandals, which said that he has been involved in sexual relations with female fans. 

Li insisted he was wronged and subjected to unbearable cyberbullying. He did not show the moment he cut off his finger, but displayed his broken finger on screen. 

A screenshot of Li displaying his broken finger on screen Photo: Sina Weibo account of The Beijing News

Staff of the platform said Tuesday that they had banned Li's account and reported the case to the police, thecover.cn reported. 

Li's behavior has violated China's Internet Security Law for bloodiness and violence, according to Zhu Wei, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law in Beijing. 

"As a public figure, he was not just hurting himself but also the viewers, especially minors," Zhu told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

Li has about 720,000 followers on Yizhibo. 

The platform should also be punished for lax management, Zhu noted. 

"Livestreaming platforms should immediately cut off the broadcast when illegal content appears," a Beijing-based industry insider who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Reports of the case went viral on Tuesday, with many net users blaming him for his behavior on public platforms. Some suspect he did not really chop his finger off. 

Related hastags on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo involving Beibei and GDLF MUSIC have been viewed more than 70 million times as of press time. 

The group announced a break-up on Weibo on Tuesday afternoon. They apologized for the case and the bad influence the incident created, urging netizens to stay away from cyberbullying and to be aware of their friends' mental state.

The Global Times reporter found that the number of his followers on Weibo increased from 155,000 on Tuesday morning to 680,000 in the afternoon.

Li's case came after a female online celebrity was blocked in late July. She disguised herself as a young girl with a sweet voice to attract viewers, but turned out to be a 58-year-old woman. 
Newspaper headline: Rapper cuts finger off in livestream over sex rumors