With the rapid development of short video platforms and live streaming, some anchors deliberately use scripts to create dramatic plots and effects, attract traffic, and even give rise to professional groups such as "microphone operators". The seemingly attractive part-time job of "wheat hand" may actually hide a "leek trap". I talked to a boyfriend and we were together for about two months. I also met my parents. At first, we lived together. Later, he was transferred to another city and played with me for two days before disappearing. Then I found out that the background photo of his friend circle had been replaced with a photo of him and another girl... "In the picture, a netizen is connecting with a male anchor in an emotional live streaming room to confide in him about his emotional problems. Recently, a person claiming to provide the "Maishou Connection" service sent this short video to a reporter from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network on WeChat, and told the reporter that it was a case of the "Maishou" script in the live broadcast room. A "microphone operator" refers to a person who pretends to connect the audience with the anchor in a live broadcast room. They use pre rehearsed scripts to communicate with the anchor and attract traffic to the anchor. The person in charge of the "Maishou" online service said that behind some "positive energy live streaming rooms" that discuss topics such as emotions, parent-child relationships, and law, there are "Maishou" groups. In recent years, with the rapid development of short video platforms and live streaming, rich visual experiences have brought diverse "emotional values" to audiences. However, some anchors use scripts to deliberately create dramatic plots and effects, attract traffic, and even give rise to professional groups such as "microphone operators". The relevant industry chain is taking shape, with not only teams recruiting and training "wheat masters", but also people specializing in writing scripts and connecting with service anchors. 'Maishou' not only affects the audience's experience with untrue information, but also challenges the authenticity and credibility of the entire online content ecosystem, and triggers negative social impacts. This is a private message received by Ma Shuai from the backstage after a live broadcast in September 2024, in which he helped the anchor "quickly start the account" and "Hello teacher, we provide professional" microphone operators "and navy team services to help you get rid of the dilemma of few viewers and quickly increase your popularity. Ma Shuai works at a law firm in Beijing and also operates his own short video account to do some legal science popularization content. The maximum number of viewers during live broadcasts is one or two hundred, and he occasionally receives online consultations. Ma Shuai told reporters from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network that he has seen some typical and attractive cases from his peers' videos and live broadcasts, and the audience is constantly connected, "but I never thought I could interpret them through scripts". Ma Shuai said that the more curious the case consultation, the more it can attract some viewers to watch, such as the release on bail for family crime consultation, legal disputes over family inheritance division, emotional disputes, etc., which are all materials that some viewers like to "eat melons". The phenomenon of using scripts on short video and live streaming platforms is very common Gao Yandong, Vice Dean of the Digital Rule of Law Research Institute at Zhejiang University, stated in an interview with China Youth Daily and China Youth Network that some forms of short videos are filmed in the form of fixed "situational dramas" shared in daily life, or fabricated personal experiences to create certain character designs. In live broadcasts, there are also bloggers who connect with pre arranged "viewers" on the microphone, and seemingly casual conversations are actually pre arranged scripts. Nowadays, in the massive amount of short videos and live broadcasts, some bloggers will try to attract attention and gain more traffic through scripts, "said Gao Yandong. The reporter contacted a person claiming to provide a "microphone" connection service through social media platforms. He introduced that the initial problem encountered by new anchors is generally the lack of ability to retain viewers. "Many users brush in, click in and look for a few seconds, but find it boring, and then swipe away. And our 'microphone operator' can use pre prepared scripts to talk about some attractive topics after connecting with the anchor, which can accumulate viewers over time." The person in charge mentioned that anchors with two thousand fans can sometimes gain more popularity through the 'microphone operator' connection than the number of fans. He then shared several live streaming video recordings of the connection between the "microphone player" and the anchor with the reporter. In the video, both parties responded with each other's calls, and the chat content was rich in details, making it difficult to distinguish between real and fake. The person in charge said that their script library types "cover a wide range", and topics in popular Internet fields such as emotion, medical care, law, entrepreneurship, etc. can be provided. According to the number of actors involved in the "wheat hand" in the connection, they can also be divided into single wheat, double wheat or even three wheat. If you need to show your face, it's 1.5 yuan per minute, and if you don't show your face, it's 1 yuan per minute. When asked if there would be a situation where the audience sees through the script or other "mishaps," the person in charge responded by saying that the "microphone player" and the anchor would communicate and remind each other through WeChat at any time during the microphone connection process, "and they are both mature" microphone players, "so it is impossible for such a situation to occur. After careful consideration, Ma Shuai did not choose to purchase the "Maishou" service. I don't really like spending money to 'cooperate' with people. When someone comes, we chat, but no one looks down and doesn't expect to make much money from it, "said Ma Shuai. In ancient times, I was friends with books and had conversations with authors. Nowadays, I am friends with videos and live streams and have conversations with bloggers In Gao Yandong's view, audiences are easily attracted to dramatic content, mainly because they have curiosity about the plot development, fantasy about real life, hope to gain emotional resonance, and a more direct entertainment and relaxation experience. Gao Yandong pointed out that some internet celebrity agencies will produce fake scripts and character designs like a production line, quickly package and promote certain accounts, and then monetize them through sales. From the perspective of platform operation logic, the platform will prioritize promoting short videos and live broadcasts that generate more traffic. Bloggers use scripts to attract audiences, increase content attractiveness and user stickiness, which means they can have greater traffic, stronger commercial influence and value. Being a "microphone player" can also fall into a "trap". When a journalist opens a social media platform and searches for the word "microphone player", they can see a large number of videos and posts introducing "microphone player", with one video receiving up to 70000 likes; There are also some posts recruiting netizens with "decent acting skills" to become "microphone players". The post states that the general age range for applying for the position of "wheat hand" is between 18-50 years old, and it is necessary to have standard Mandarin, speak without stuttering, be able to empathize with emotions, and so on; The promotional content for recruiting "Maishou" mostly includes "free time, having a mobile phone, being able to speak, is the simplest side job, and can earn hundreds of yuan per day by chatting with the anchor..." There are several popular posts with over 500 comments below, and bloggers further inform netizens of the channels to join "Maishou" through "private chat". The reporter contacted a "team leader" responsible for recruiting "wheat hand" through one of the posts, citing the reason of applying for the position. He revealed that there are many pre rehearsed "microphone hand" actors in the live broadcast rooms that mainly rely on audience connections. Those who express themselves clearly, are articulate, and can accurately avoid platform prohibited words are basically "microphone hand" viewers. When asked how to become a "microphone player", the person in charge said "it's very simple". After the training, the team will provide anchor resources, and the "microphone player" will connect with the anchor in advance according to the requirements, familiarize themselves with the script, and then pretend to connect with the audience during the live broadcast, perform according to the script, and pay according to the duration of the microphone connection after the broadcast. However, the person in charge later stated that applying for the position of "Maishou" requires a "training fee" of 298 yuan to be paid first, which will be used for "one-on-one" training. After the training, there will be no other expenses, and the more you work, the more you earn. The daily income ranges from 60 yuan to 500 yuan. The reporter also saw that the person in charge posted dozens of transfer screenshots in their personal circle of friends, showing that the "microphone operator" received "microphone fees" (i.e. microphone operator salaries) and new employees paid training fees, accompanied by promotional texts such as "Mom earns 700 yuan a day at home", "New apprentice accepted", and "Suggesting everyone to become a" microphone operator "and create value in their spare time". It is worth noting that the reporter also saw on social media platforms that some netizens were cracking down on fake "wheat hands" and sharing their experiences of being deceived. Some netizens commented, "When I found out about this profession, new types of fraud methods must have emerged." "No one will inexplicably tell you how to make money easily." "Everyone must be cautious. The premise of wanting to make money is to keep their wallets safe." Some interviewees said that these seemingly attractive "wheat hand" part-time jobs may actually hide "leek traps". 34 year old Han Li likes to explore some interesting side jobs in her spare time from work. In August 2024, she saw the introduction of "Maishou" on social media, which sparked her great interest with slogans such as "daily wage settlement, low investment, high return, and no risk". When communicating with a relevant person in charge, the other party told Han Li that the training is very simple and they will provide a script, as long as they cooperate well with the anchor and read it accordingly. Han Li also felt that her voice was loud and logical, and it shouldn't be too difficult to chat with the anchor and perform scripts online. Therefore, she paid a "training fee" of 380 yuan and agreed to the other party's statement of "knowledge payment, no refund or exchange". Then they pulled me into a 'Maishou' training group with over 360 people, and posted some training materials in the group Han Li recalled that the process of "training" was to read the precautions in the materials by herself, including understanding the prohibited words on the platform, how to speak the script with emotion, and how to cooperate with the anchor. After understanding the training content, Han Li joined a "trial group" again, where hundreds of newcomers posted their "trial" recordings to the group. After the administrator "approves" them, the next assessment will be arranged. They (administrators) will provide ready-made scripts for you to try out, but it feels like the 'pass rate' is very low, "Han Li told a reporter from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network. Sometimes there are dozens of overlapping voice prompts in the group for trying out, and the administrator will only notify one person to" pass "and bring their own written script to participate in the" acceptance "assessment." But when they first joined, they said they would provide script dialogue and not need to create it themselves. "When Han Li and other group members wanted to continue asking about script questions, the administrator told her," This is a trial group, and you don't need to write your own script for trying out. For other questions, please consult other responsible persons. The other party's statement about "providing scripts" is inconsistent, which makes Han Li feel very unreasonable. When Han Li tried to report the situation to the person in charge she had contacted earlier and requested a refund, the other party stated that "knowledge payment is easy to spread again, so it cannot be refunded", and she had already informed them in advance, and Han Li herself agreed. Anyway, it's quite helpless, and it has also dampened my enthusiasm, "Han Li said. Currently, she has given up trying to be a" microphone player ". In addition, some interviewees revealed that even if they pass the assessment, the subsequent "order taking" process may not be smooth. Newcomer "Maishou" Zhang Rui told reporters from China Youth Daily and China Youth Network that she started trying to be a "Maishou" in August 2024. Currently, she has played roles such as "daughter-in-law who is disliked by her mother-in-law and cheating husband" and "mother with psychological problems with her child". She has already earned more than 200 yuan by connecting with several anchors. She mentioned that in the "placement group" of "Maishou", there are often situations where "dozens of people compete for a certain anchor's order". Many even have requirements for age, gender, voice, and even similar experiences in Maishou scripts. A blogger mentioned in a video introducing "Maishou" that the core of making money from "Maishou" is to have "resources", namely a script library and channels to contact anchors