- Xiaomi claims a criminal gang ran a smear campaign using 10,000 fake accounts.
- The gang allegedly used automated software to fabricate content and stir opposition.
- After the SU7 Ultra sports sedan, the company will launch the new YU7 SUV this week.
The drama at Xiaomi’s automotive division doesn’t seem to be winding down anytime soon. Just days after the company was forced to apologize to owners of the SU7 who spent $6,000 on an aero hood only to find out the vents were little more than cosmetic, and not long after a software update nearly reduced the Ultra’s 1,526hp to a mere 888hp, Xiaomi now claims it’s uncovered what it calls a smear campaign against the brand.
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The news comes just days before Xiaomi is set to reveal the YU7 electric SUV and the Xring 01, its first in-house developed smartphone chipset. In a posting on their social media page, Xiaomi’s legal team posted an update saying they had uncovered a coordinated effort to defame the company across nearly 10,000 social media accounts. Several suspects are now under investigation by Chinese authorities.
More: Xiaomi Recruiting BMW Execs For European R&D Center
As reported by several local media including Car News China, the criminal gang was allegedly active since December 2024. The company claims that the bad actors used automatic copywriting software to fabricate false information about Xiaomi, and manipulated nearly 10,000 social media accounts to maliciously spread rumors and false statements. The group reportedly engaged in tactics such as stirring up online opposition and pitting rival brands against each other, all in an effort to damage Xiaomi’s reputation.
In a statement, Xiaomi described the situation as a new form of online “water army” crime, where a criminal gang uses automated software to generate fake content on a massive scale. “The distribution chain is complex, and the scale of the operation is enormous,” the company said. “This has had a severely negative impact on both the online environment and our corporate reputation.”
Who’s Behind It?
Even though no names were named, any number of rivals could be at play here. Cars are nowadays more tech-defined than ever and are bound to become even more so in the near future, as the chipset and automotive industries become more intertwined. Thus, when a disruptor comes along and threatens to change the status quo, apparently all gloves are off since there are billions of dollars at stake.
More: Xiaomi SU7 Outsells Tesla’s Model 3 In China
In the epic Iliad, Helen of Troy’s beauty sparked a war that would go down in history. Now, nearly three millennia later, Xiaomi has found itself in the strange position of being the brand that launched 10,000 social media accounts, each working to smear it in the months leading up to its first electric crossover. If anything, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and if rival companies are going to such lengths to bring down Xiaomi, it’s clear they fear what’s coming next.
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