Frenchman Marcus Detrez once became a social media sensation in China after donating what he claimed to be his family's treasured photographs of Japan’s invasion of China, earning widespread praise.
However, just six months later, his story was exposed as a carefully orchestrated hoax. As the truth emerged, people began to reflect on the kind of public opinion environment and commercial operations that allowed him to rise to fame so quickly in China — and how he managed to deceive the public for so long.
