Shanghai Man Criticized for Selling Subway Seats During Rush Hour, Now Detained for...
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A recent incident involving a man claiming to sell subway seats for 5 yuan each during Shanghai's morning rush hour has attracted significant attention. On January 3, 2025, Shanghai's Metro Police confirmed that the man, who had made the claim on a social media platform, fabricated the entire story. He has since been administratively detained by the authorities.
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In December 2024, the man, identified as Zhou, posted an announcement on a social media platform, offering to "sell" his seat on the Shanghai Metro Line 16 from Dishui Lake to Longyang Road during the early morning rush. He included details of the train's schedule and his personal commuting information, claiming that for just 5 yuan, a passenger could secure his seat. Zhou even boasted that one person had already "purchased" the seat twice.
Upon discovering the post, Shanghai Metro Police initiated an investigation and located Zhou. They found that Zhou had fabricated the entire story in order to boost his social media profile. The post, made on December 19, 2024, was intended to attract attention and increase his follower count. Zhou had not actually engaged in any seat-selling activity. To keep the post trending, he fabricated two fake transaction records and provided them to an external media outlet, claiming that he had successfully "sold" the seat twice. This false information spread quickly across the internet.
After being apprehended, Zhou admitted to creating and spreading fake information. He confessed to the illegal activity and was subsequently detained by the Shanghai Metro Police.
In response to the controversy, Zhou issued a public apology on January 3, 2025, via his social media account. He acknowledged that his actions were driven by a desire to attract attention and promote his account. Zhou admitted that he had commodified the subway seat, which went against public order, and regretted spreading false information that caused negative social consequences. He expressed remorse for failing to clarify the situation earlier and apologized for the confusion and damage caused.
Previously on December 31, 2024, Zhou had shared his story with the media. He described how he offered his seat for 5 yuan, which he said was enough to cover his fare.
However, Zhou's actions quickly attracted criticism. Some people mocked him in the comments, while others labeled him a "scalper."
Shanghai Metro responded firmly to the incident, emphasizing that such actions were not acceptable. A representative of Shanghai Metro stated that the practice of selling subway seats violated the passenger code of conduct, which gives priority seating to elderly, disabled, pregnant, and nursing passengers. The spokesperson also stressed that subway seats are public resources and should be allocated on a "first come, first served" basis, not for personal profit. Shanghai Metro urged passengers who encounter similar situations to report them immediately to the staff or call the hotline at 64370000.
Source: 新民晚报, 北京青年报
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