The Beijing Haidian District Court has rendered its verdict in a case involving automotive review fraud. Self-media blogger Gao has been sentenced to one year and eight months in prison, along with a 100,000 yuan fine, for concocting a deceptive collision video aimed at defaming the Xiaomi SU7. This case stands as a representative example following the enforcement of the 'Network Evaluation Activity Norms.' In August 2024, Gao's team published a video alleging that the Xiaomi SU7 had design flaws. The video quickly amassed over three million views, fueling negative public sentiment. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the test had been meticulously planned four months in advance, with a staggering investment of one million yuan to drive traffic to the video. Several segments of the video were found to be fabricated. The battery power line was deliberately removed beforehand to simulate a power outage. Impacts from a forklift were falsely portrayed as collision damage, and unfounded claims were made regarding the failure of the emergency call function. Xiaomi promptly addressed these misrepresentations and initiated legal proceedings. The court concluded that Gao had deliberately tarnished the brand's reputation by fabricating false conclusions and disseminating them widely, thus committing the crime of damaging the reputation of goods. This case has established a legal precedent for the online review industry, setting clear boundaries for acceptable conduct.
