方是许多中国人中的一员，他们因公开报道世界上第一次重大的 Covid-19 爆发和封锁事件而成为当局的目标。 他和同为公民记者的陈秋实于 2020 年 2 月从武汉失踪。
2021 年 9 月，陈在他朋友的 YouTube 提要上直播了一段视频，称他患有抑郁症。 他没有提供有关他失踪的细节。
Fang was among a number of Chinese people who were targeted by authorities for publicly reporting the events of the world’s first major Covid-19 outbreak and lockdown. He and fellow citizen journalist Chen Qiushi, disappeared from Wuhan in February 2020.
Chen resurfaced in September 2021 in a video broadcast live on his friend’s YouTube feed, saying he had suffered from depression. He did not provide details about his disappearance.