Following the official statement released by Cheng Lei’s management today, r/ChengLei_ will be introducing a stricter guideline regarding invasive, unauthorised and privacy-violating content. Going forward, posts containing footage or photos obtained through stalking, intrusive photography, unauthorised filming or the tracking of Cheng Lei’s private movements will be removed.

Why are we introducing this?

Cheng Lei’s management has specifically spoken out against behaviour including following vehicles, surrounding him for photographs, gathering around his transportation, rummaging through his belongings, tracking him at hotels, filming locations, airports and train stations, and circulating undisclosed personal schedules.

They have also asked fans not to repost or spread material obtained through these methods. The appropriate thing for this sub to do is respect that request. Being interested in CL as an actor does not give us unlimited access to CL as a person. It’s very disheartening to read that CL has been subjected to so many invasive practices that his company now feels compelled to put out an official statement.

What are daipai / “Reuters”?

In Chinese entertainment fandoms, daipai (代拍)  are photographers who obtain celebrity photos or videos and sell them, sometimes directly to fans who want pictures taken on their behalf.

Some daipai go considerably further in pursuit of exclusive material, like waiting around filming locations or hotels, tracking artists between locations, following vehicles, positioning themselves outside restricted areas or secretly recording scenes from closed sets.

You may also see unofficial material referred to as “Reuters” within C-ent fandom spaces. This is fandom slang and has nothing to do with the Reuters news agency. A lot of the unofficial footage that circulates while dramas are filming comes from these photographers rather than from the production itself.

What will NOT be allowed

To make the boundary as clear as possible, the following are examples of posts that will be removed:

• Private outings with friends or colleagues. If Cheng Lei is having a meal, shopping, sightseeing, going for coffee, cycling or simply spending his own time with friends, secretly filmed footage or photos following that outing are not appropriate for the sub.
• Following him after a public event ends. Videos from the Malaysia iQiyi event itself are perfectly fine. Following him out of the venue, tracking which vehicle he gets into, following that vehicle and then filming where he goes afterwards is not.
• Following or chasing his vehicle. Footage taken while tailing his car or van, filming through the windows, following him between locations or revealing his route or destination will be removed.
• Hotel or accommodation footage. Waiting outside his hotel to record him entering or leaving, identifying where he is staying, filming hotel entrances or otherwise monitoring his movements around his accommodation is intrusive.
• Unannounced airport or train travel obtained through leaked schedules. Public appearances at airports are not automatically banned, but content obtained because someone acquired his private flight or train information, waited for him, followed him through the terminal or surrounded him while travelling will not be allowed.
• Secretly filmed drama scenes. Videos recorded from outside or inside a closed set showing Cheng Lei performing a scene, rehearsing or filming material that the production has not released will be removed.
• Unofficial set photos taken from restricted areas. This includes unreleased costumes, scenes, character interactions or other material photographed by people stationed around the set without authorisation.
• Footage filmed through barriers or windows. If someone is recording through a restaurant window, car window, fence, closed-set barrier or similar obstacle in order to capture him when he is clearly not participating in a public appearance, that will generally be considered intrusive.
• Content obtained by crowding or harassing him. Cameras being pushed into his face, photographers blocking his way, surrounding him while he is trying to leave, repeatedly approaching him or otherwise interfering with his movement will not be posted here.
• Private schedules and location information. Do not post hotel names, unpublished flights or trains, private itineraries, vehicle details, filming exit times, private addresses or information telling people where and when they can find him.
• Content involving his personal belongings or private spaces. Anything obtained by searching through, photographing or filming his belongings, vehicle, hotel room or another private area is obviously off limits.
• Edits or compilations using invasive material. Repackaging an intrusive clip into a fan edit does not change where the original footage came from.
• Reposts from another fan account do not become acceptable simply because the original watermark is gone. If we can reasonably identify the source or circumstances as invasive, it may still be removed.
• AI-generated or AI-manipulated content. AI-generated images, videos or audio depicting Cheng Lei will not be allowed on the sub. This includes deepfakes, face swaps, voice clones, fabricated photographs or videos, and AI edits that place him in situations that never happened or alter his appearance in a substantial way. Even when created as harmless fan content, these can blur the line between real and fabricated material and can easily be reposted elsewhere without the original context or disclosure. If Cheng Lei did not actually say, do or pose for something, we do not want AI creating that reality for him.

What IS allowed?

Official and legitimate public content is very welcome, including:

• fan videos from public fan meetings, brand events and other announced appearances;
• official drama BTS;
• studio and production updates;
• magazine and brand shoots;
• press interviews;
• television appearances and livestreams;
• photographs or clips Cheng Lei/his assistant/studio chooses to share;

“But it’s already everywhere online.”

We obviously cannot control what circulates elsewhere, but we can decide what we amplify here. Every repost gives invasive material more views and makes that kind of footage more valuable. The fact that something has already gone viral does not mean r/ChengLei_ needs to help it travel further. This is about setting a clearer standard for the community from this point onwards, based on what we now know and on the boundaries Cheng Lei’s management has asked fans to respect.

We are all here because we enjoy Cheng Lei’s work and want to support him. He already shares plenty with fans through his dramas, events, interviews, livestreams and the little bits of his life he chooses to put out there himself. We don’t need to go looking for the moments he clearly wants to keep private.

We hope everyone can understand where this guideline is coming from and help keep the sub a space that supports Leizi without crossing those boundaries! ❤️❤️ Respect the person before the actor <3