He filmed a deceptive video about the Xiaomi SU7 electric car, now he's going to prison. Chinese blogger will also pay a fine of hundreds of thousands

A case from China shows how strictly local authorities act against false claims about car manufacturers. A man who, in 2024, published a deceptively edited video about the alleged failure of the Xiaomi SU7 electric car during a crash, will serve 20 months in prison and pay a fine of hundreds of thousands, according to local state media.

Fake video captured failure of safety features

In August 2024, a blogger, whose surname state media identifies as Gao, and his team published footage from an alleged crash test of the Xiaomi SU7 electric car. The video was intended to convince viewers that after the impact, the car’s doors could not be opened, emergency calls did not work, and the central display did not light up. The clip quickly spread on an account with about a million followers and garnered around three million views.

Why was it a hoax according to the court?

According to the Beijing Haidian District Court, whose decision was reported by Reuters, the author and his team secretly modified the car’s auxiliary battery before filming. Furthermore, according to the court, they inserted footage of a different battery, which had previously been damaged by a forklift, into the clip to mislead viewers.

The court found the blogger guilty of damaging the good reputation of goods by spreading false information and of intentionally harming the car manufacturer’s reputation. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison and a fine of 100,000 yuan, which is approximately 310,000 Czech crowns.

Xiaomi itself stated in January 2025 that the blogger and his collaborators, who, according to the company, had previously deliberately slandered its automotive division, were detained in accordance with the law. Reuters attempted to contact both the court and the blogger, but no one responded to inquiries.

China tightens crackdown on disinformation about car manufacturers

The verdict is part of a broader campaign. According to Reuters, Chinese authorities have been intensifying pressure for about a year on misleading advertising, disinformation, and other unfair practices in the country’s highly competitive automotive market. They argue that misleading claims can distort customer decision-making and fair competition. Bloggers and platforms accused of slandering manufacturers are also coming under scrutiny.

Where do you think the line is between product criticism and intentional damage to it?

Sources: Reuters, Notebookcheck