File this under 'Not The Onion.' Until quite recently, it was (apparently) acceptable for Chinese citizens to send in their passport photos by taking selfies using WeChat. Now the party has come to an end, because people wouldn't stop retouching their shots - everybody wants to look hot for foreign customs agents, am I right?
A WeChat service called "Xingfu" was supported by the city governments of Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Foshan. Just a few days after its launch, however, authorities realized that passport photos may be best left to the professionals - too many shots were coming in doctored up, with nothing but clear skin as far as the eye could see.
No word yet on whether or not these selfie fanatics were also adding the classic Chinese touches of doodle-moustaches and gigantic eyes, but we can only assume the worst.
The program, run in in coordination with China Telecom, has been suspended at the request of local police, but Xingfu has announced that it hopes to make a comeback after some tweaks. Local authorities will finally be able to rest comfortably among photos of zits and wrinkles.
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