Xiaomi‘s legal department announced today a significant victory in its defamation lawsuit against Chinese auto media AutoReport. A court has ruled in favour of Xiaomi, finding that the defendant infringed upon the company’s reputation and brand image by disseminating false and disparaging content.
The court determined that AutoReport used its account across multiple online platforms to spread content that lacked sufficient factual verification, contained “misattributed facts,” and was clearly derogatory. This conduct was found to have violated Xiaomi’s right to reputation and damaged its brand standing.
As a result of the ruling, the defendant has been ordered to delete the infringing content, issue a public apology, and pay Xiaomi Corporation 5 million yuan (725,000 USD) in compensation.
In a statement following the verdict, Xiaomi reiterated its commitment to upholding its legal rights. “We welcome and accept criticism, suggestions, and supervision from all sectors of society,” the company stated. “However, for misleading false information, as well as insults and slanders that infringe upon Xiaomi’s rights, we will use legal weapons to resolutely defend our legitimate rights and interests.” Xiaomi also expressed gratitude for public attention and support.
Public records indicate that AutoReport (autoreport.cn) is affiliated with Yiche.com (with an international version, bitauto.com), one of the major Chinese websites focused on reporting and facilitating communication regarding the economic development of the automotive industry.
Yiche.com was founded by Nio’s founder, William Li, in 2000. Xiaomi’s Lei Jun was one of the early investors in Nio.
AutoReport has published several original articles discussing Xiaomi Auto. However, the specific articles that led to this lawsuit have not yet been disclosed.
Editor’s comment
Occasionally, we observe car manufacturers filing lawsuits against media outlets for compensation. While most previous cases have targeted independent content creators, this particular lawsuit against a major media institution appears to be a first. Consequently, the amount of compensation sought has established a new historical record.
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