On Chinese social media the so-called "Natasha" dolls are going viral – but they are severely mistreated.
Stress-relief toys and collectible figurines have grown in popularity over the past few years. However, the recently viral "Natasha" dolls aren't as harmless as last year's trendy "Labubus." While the Labubus may end up in landfills and pollute the environment, Natasha dolls have sparked huge online discussions about racism and child safety.
Babies Being Stomped On
@wekaypoh The viral "Natasha" doll in China is trending for disturbing reasons. Netizens, especially those from the black community, are shocked at the extent these dolls resembling black babies are being "played with". #trend #china #wekaypoh #singapore #sgnews
original sound - weKaypoh - weKaypoh
Natasha is not a Bratz doll or a Barbie. Actually she’s supposed to be an stress-relief toy. She’s a palm-sized infant made of soft rubber. Often she is being described as "ugly-cute," a term used for things that look a little weird but are also kind of adorable. The baby-shaped doll recently went viral on Chinese social media apps, such as Xiaohongshu (better known as “Red Note”). Natasha did not only go viral for her looks, though – she also went viral for how people treat her. Many videos show people stretching her excessively, stomping on her, slamming her onto the ground, cutting her open, and completely destroying her. The videos are supposed to be funny, but what's the joke about creating harmful imagery for children and being openly racist?
A Toy Harmful for Children
Experts warn that videos of Natasha’s mistreatment may disturb children and impact their emotional development. Children are not very good at distinguishing between fiction and reality, or between entertainment and inappropriate behavior.
Psychologists claim that repeated exposure to such content could normalize aggression and even contribute to bullying. The violent treatment of the toy could lead children to assume that mistreating objects or people as a form of stress relief is normal.
Fang Zengquan, the party secretary of the School of Journalism and Communication at Beijing Normal University, as well as the director of the Center for Minors' Online Literacy, warns that "repeatedly associating infant imagery with destructive behavior could weaken empathy and protective instincts toward real babies. In extreme cases, it may foster unconscious aggressive impulses toward living beings."
Racism Covered Up as "Stress Relief"
The whole thing feels even weirder once you realize that most of the abused Natashas are black. There are white and colorful versions of the doll, too, but the ones being mistreated are almost always black. Some users point out that the doll itself is racist, not only the violent acts. Its exaggerated features make it look like a caricature.
The violence is extreme. Some videos show the toy being cut open completely, a smaller version is put inside its belly, and it is described as "Natasha giving birth." Others try to paint her face white or apply "whitening" cream to it, captioning the videos with statements such as "Natasha would be so cute if she turned white."
There is even an edible "Natasha" gummy, and of course, it's the black version of the doll. Watching someone chop off a baby's head with their teeth and posting it as ASMR content is quite disturbing.
In China, black baby doll "Natasha" gummies are trending right now. pic.twitter.com/cpMPJ3mkXF
— aslichin (@aslicheen) May 31, 2026
Most concerning is that some people have transferred their racism from the Natasha doll to real-life black children. There is a lot of footage where black children are referred to as "Natashas" and treated as entertainment objects. The children were mostly filmed without their or their parents' consent, and without their faces being blurred. Some videos even depict abusive behavior. The dehumanization is obvious.
Sadly, racism on Chinese social media isn’t a new thing. For my research, I re-downloaded Red Note, an app I had previously uninstalled for this very reason. One of the first posts I saw was a tutorial on how to "whiten" your skin. The translation said, "Black pearls can also turn into Snow White."
On the other hand, there are users who denounce racist acts, advocate for Natasha’s protection, and treat her well. They openly show their adoration for the doll and buy her cute clothes.
