Six Chinese government agencies,including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology(MIIT)and the Cyberspace Administration of China,announced to launch a three-month special rectification action to address internet chaos involving the automotive sector,in a bid to create better environment for the development of the new-energy vehicle industry,according to an annoucenment released by the MIIT on Thursday.
According to the announcement,the action will focus on addressing illegal profiteering,exaggerated and false advertising,and malicious defamation and attacks in the cyberspace.It aims to enhance the management of internet chaos involving automotive companies,calling on enterprises to standardize automobile-related marketing and promotional behaviors,in order to create a favorable cyber environment for the high-quality development of the automotive industry.
The key issues to be addressed include illegal profiteering like fabricating false images and videos,concocting stories,hyping and spreading negative topics related to automotive companies,maliciously interpreting fluctuations in carmakers'sales,and attacking their business strategies to gain online traffic and commercial benefits.
Other behaviors include publishing false or negative information about select carmakers or manipulating online discussions during critical moments such as product launches or company financing to coerce enterprises into business collaborations,as well as utilizing technologies such as generative artificial intelligence to produce false content in order to seek illegal profits.
Moreover,the action will address exaggerated and false advertising,including making false or misleading claims about the performance,functionality,quality,or sales status of vehicles and power batteries,deceiving or misleading the consumers,said the announcement.
Addressing malicious defamation or online attacks will also be involved in the action.According to the announcement,the action will rectify moves like defaming or attacking automotive companies or their products,tarnishing corporate or product reputation,or maliciously filing complaints against companies with the intent to suppress or undermine competitors.
The announcement will guide automotive companies to report issues related to internet chaos in the automotive industry to website platforms,the Central Cyberspace Administration and the provincial-level cyberspace administrations where the companies are located.In addition,it will establish fast-track handling channels,legally shut down and publicly expose a number of media accounts involved in internet chaos in the automotive industry.
It vowed to take legal action to crack down and punish the PR firms,marketing companies,and other intermediary teams behind the internet chaos,as well as the automotive companies purchasing their services.
The announcement noted that all parties should work together to continuously purify the online public opinion environment of the automotive industry,which requires that local departments strengthen coordination.Internet platform companies must conduct thorough self-inspections and corrections,enhance identification and control of"internet water army"using generative artificial intelligence technologies,and improve platform features such as complaint and reporting mechanisms for corporate-related infringing information to prevent false information from misleading the public.
Moreover,industry associations should guide the sector to strengthen self-discipline.Automotive companies must conduct in-depth self-assessment and consciously resist internet chaos,said the announcement.
