The Chinese Wants To Put An End To Misinformation On Their Cars

The Chinese government has decided to put an end to the wave of disinformation affecting the domestic auto industry by launching a three-month campaign to crack down on fake news online. Manufacturers such as MG and BYD have joined the fight, offering millions in rewards for information that would lead to the exposure of malicious profiles.

Misinformation about a number of Chinese automakers has become commonplace on local social media, including Douyin, China’s version of TikTok. The battle is sometimes fought between competitors themselves, who use social media to attack rivals.

Nikkei Asia reports on a case from July, when Li Auto released a video of a collision between one of its SUVs and a truck from Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor. While the SUV suffered minimal damage, the truck’s cabin was destroyed. As expected, Dongfeng objected to the depiction, resulting in a public apology from Li Auto.

Earlier this month, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced that its new campaign would target malicious disinformation about the auto industry. It stressed that steps would be taken against “illegal business practices, excessive or false advertising, and defamation.”

However, it is not just the authorities who have joined the fight. Car manufacturers themselves are actively fighting fake news. For example, MG is offering rewards of up to 5 million yuan (about 650,000 euros) for information on malicious profiles, and BYD has a similar program, with rewards ranging from 50,000 to 5 million yuan.

The reach and influence of individual social media accounts should not be underestimated. In 2023, an influencer on Douyin posted videos mocking drivers of electric vehicles from a Chinese startup. Although his account, which had 5.4 million followers, was suspended in June 2024, many believe the damage had already been done.

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