On March 2, LEAPMOTOR announced via its official Weibo account the launch of a public initiative to foster a healthier online environment. The company stated that it is opening channels for reporting malicious PR activities and will reward individuals who provide valid leads.
LEAPMOTOR specified that the scope of reportable activities includes fabricating and spreading false information that damages the company's commercial reputation and product credibility. This encompasses, but is not limited to, creating defamatory articles, maliciously editing images, text, or audio/video content, distorting old news through misinterpretation, and taking statements out of context to mislead the public. Also included are acts of creating or disseminating false information about LEAPMOTOR for the purposes of extortion, manipulating public opinion, or conducting false oversight.
Furthermore, the scope extends to impersonating government agencies, industry associations, media outlets, or experts, or exploiting current social issues to publish misleading content that interferes with public judgment and market order. Any other online content or behavior that seriously distorts facts and infringes upon LEAPMOTOR's brand image and legal rights also falls within the acceptable reporting range.
LEAPMOTOR stated that for leads accompanied by clear evidence, which are verified as true, valid, legally obtained, and ultimately accepted and acted upon by judicial or law enforcement authorities, rewards ranging from 50,000 to 5 million yuan will be granted. The reward amount will be based on the value of the lead, the strength of the evidence, and the outcome of the case. In instances where multiple individuals report on the same case, the reward will be given to the first person who provides the key, effective lead. The company committed to strictly maintaining the confidentiality of all individuals or organizations that submit information.
In fact, besides LEAPMOTOR, other automakers including BYD and Seres have also offered rewards for information on malicious PR campaigns. Concurrently, companies such as XPENG Motors, LEAPMOTOR, NIO, Tesla, and Li Auto have established official legal department accounts on social platforms, adopting a more direct and firm approach to combat online smear campaigns.
On the policy front, last September, six departments including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued a notice launching a three-month nationwide campaign to rectify disorderly online practices within the automotive industry. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology indicated that this special campaign aims to address online misconduct such as illegal profiteering, exaggerated and false advertising, and malicious defamation. The goal is to improve the effectiveness of handling online disorder related to automotive companies, urge businesses to standardize their marketing practices, create a positive public opinion environment, and support the high-quality development of the automotive industry.