Chinese electric vehicle maker BYD Company Limited (BYDDY) has announced a series of successful legal actions against online defamation, underscoring its commitment to combating malicious misinformation.

The company's legal department issued a statement publicizing several court victories in cases involving reputational rights. The rulings targeted self-media accounts found to have spread false rumors and engaged in slander against the brand. The move is described as a firm legal stance against "black PR" practices within the automotive sector, aiming to protect corporate rights and brand reputation.

Following the announcement, Li Yunfei, General Manager of BYD's Brand and Public Relations division, reiterated the company's position. "We will absolutely not tolerate black PR and malicious media," he stated. "We will pursue them relentlessly and show no leniency. We welcome more leads, with rewards of up to 5 million yuan on offer, valid long-term."

The cases disclosed are part of a broader pattern of successful legal action by BYD in recent years. Examples include blogger Yao * Qiang (Douyin account "Da Qin Jun Shan Tuan"), who fabricated false information about the Fangchengbao brand, was found guilty of commercial defamation, and ordered to pay 2.01 million yuan in compensation. Accounts "Long Ge Jiang Dian Che" and "Mange Dian Xin Neng Yuan," which persistently spread untrue negative information, were ordered to pay 2 million yuan. The account "Wang Wukong Shuo Che," which denigrated Fangchengbao models, infringed on brand reputation rights and was ordered to pay 313,800 yuan. Another account, "Long Zhu - Ji Che," which long distorted facts and persistently slandered BYD, was ordered to pay 2.0187 million yuan.

In 2021, BYD initially offered bounties ranging from 50,000 to 1 million yuan to combat malicious "black PR" activities, later increasing the reward range to 50,000 to 5 million yuan, with the offer remaining valid indefinitely.