On August 20, NIO’s Legal Department posted an update on its official Weibo account regarding the malicious defamation of the brand by online accounts. The Legal Department announced that it has taken legal measures against online accounts that maliciously defamed the brand.
In the announcement, NIO’s Legal Department pointed out that the online accounts had maliciously defamed the brand and spread false information. NIO has collected evidence and will take legal action, including filing lawsuits against the holders of these accounts.
As one of the representatives of the new force in car manufacturing, NIO has established three brands: NIO, LEAD, and Firefly. LEAD is NIO’s second brand, launched in May 2024, with two models, the LEAD L60 and LEAD L90; Firefly is NIO’s third brand, launched at the 2024 NIO DAY, with its first model, the Firefly, launched in April this year.
It is important to note that since the release of these brands, NIO and its subsidiaries have continued to face organized malicious attacks and defamation. Some account holders have resorted to insulting, defaming, and spreading rumors about NIO and its users in order to gain traffic and unfair benefits. These malicious and false rumors, once widely spread, have caused serious negative impacts on the company and its brands. Fortunately, these falsehoods were quickly debunked by NIO’s Legal Department through legal means. In the face of malicious online rumors and infringements, NIO’s Legal Department has become more efficient and proactive in the public eye, especially since the beginning of 2025, frequently posting updates on Weibo to report and counteract defamation and other improper actions in order to protect the company’s legitimate rights.
In today’s era of information explosion and traffic-driven content, the quality of information varies greatly, making it increasingly difficult for people to access comprehensive and accurate information. This leads to difficulties in distinguishing between true and false information, and unverified false information not only misleads the public but also severely damages corporate reputations. Especially with the increasing popularity of the new energy vehicle market, online rumors and black PR incidents are on the rise. Some media outlets and influencers, seeking to attract traffic and profits, are willing to create and spread online rumors. Once these malicious rumors gain widespread traction, the brand image and reputation are significantly harmed. The situation that NIO faces, with multiple accounts maliciously defaming the company, is not an isolated case but a serious challenge that the entire new energy vehicle industry must confront. As a result, more and more car companies are opening legal department accounts on Weibo and taking a series of public actions to combat negative media and protect the legal rights of the company and its users.
Since its launch, NIO’s Legal Department has become an important platform for defending the company’s rights. By the time of this announcement, NIO’s Legal Department had published 40 posts. In February this year, the department publicly called for clues and evidence regarding malicious attacks from black PR and online trolls, offering rewards ranging from 10,000 RMB to 1 million RMB. In April, to further combat black PR and online trolls, NIO introduced a “one-click report” function, gathering over 1,000 clues and making progress. Multiple infringing accounts were banned, administrative penalties were issued, and some were ordered to apologize and compensate. In this latest announcement, NIO’s Legal Department also emphasized that previous cases announced are progressing in an orderly manner, and the company will release updates on the cases when appropriate.
