Chinese e-commerce startup Xiaohongshu found its social media account on Weibo blocked after it shared a certain post on the platform on Friday, June 4.
The day happens to the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown on pro-democracy activists in China.
"Tell me loudly, What's the date today?"
On the highly sensitive day in China, Xiaohongshu wrote: "Tell me loudly: What's the date today?" on the Twitter-like platform before it was quickly deleted, reported the BBC.
The startup, described as China's version of Instagram with an e-commerce element, was backed by Chinese internet giants including Alibaba and Tencent.
It had 14 million followers on Weibo before its page was removed.
Its Weibo page no longer exists. Users trying to assess the page will be greeted by a message that said the account is being investigated for violations of laws and regulations.
Screenshot via Weibo
The e-commerce platform is assisting the Cyberspace Administration of China with internal investigations of the incident, according to people briefed on the matter, Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.
While its Weibo page is blocked, the app is still working as per normal.
While it is unclear what the original intent of the post was, Xiaohongshu has regularly posted similar questions in its social media posts on Weibo, often on Fridays to mark the weekend, according to the BBC.
A person familiar with the matter told WSJ that the post did not mean to refer to the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square incident on June 4.
Sensitive date in China
The Tiananmen Square incident comprised of a series of student-led demonstrations that culminated in a violent crackdown by the People's Liberation Army on June 4, 1989.
The anniversary of the crackdown is a highly sensitive date in China.
As the event is highly censored in China, print media in the country containing references to the incident must be consistent with the Chinese government's version of the events.
Any discussion related to the event within the country is highly monitored and controlled, according to CNN.
Students in China are not taught about the crackdown either.
Hong Kong, one of the last places in China where the incident was commemorated with candlelight vigils and other events organised by activists, was banned from holding the candlelight vigil by local authorities for a second consecutive year.
The Covid-19 pandemic was cited as the reason for banning the vigil by the authorities.
Top image collage via Getty Images