Six departments launch special rectification of network chaos in the automotive industry

Six departments launch special rectification of network chaos in the automotive industry

Recently, six departments of the State Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Transport, and the State Post Bureau jointly issued a notice to launch a three-month special rectification campaign for the automotive industry's network chaos. The operation aims to regulate the online marketing order of the automotive industry, crack down on chaos such as false propaganda, data fraud, malicious competition, etc., safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, and promote the healthy development of the industry.

1. Special rectification background

With the acceleration of digital transformation of the automotive industry, online marketing has become an important channel for car companies and dealers. However, recently, some platforms and merchants have disrupted market order and harmed consumer rights through false reviews, orders and credit speculation, and traffic fraud. According to incomplete statistics, the number of online complaints in the automotive industry increased by 45% year-on-year in 2023, and the main problems are concentrated in the following aspects:

2. Key rectification content

This special campaign will focus on the following five major areas:

1.Live broadcast marketing chaos: Crack down on false popularity in the live broadcast room, hiring "water troops" to brush orders, and fabricate price reductions;

2.False evaluation: Remediate false reviews and malicious smear of competitors by accepting benefits;

3.Data injection: Investigate and punish behaviors such as fraud in sales data and user review order brushing;

4.Collect information illegally: Standardize user data collection behavior and prohibit forced authorization and excessive request;

5.Unfair competition: Governance of malicious slandering peers and fictitious comparison parameters.

III. Industry impact analysis

Special rectification will reshape the automotive online marketing ecosystem, and the leading platforms have begun self-inspection and rectification. The main platform response measures are as follows:

4. Consumer rights protection

The special action emphasizes consumer rights protection and will establish the following mechanism:

• Open a nationwide unified complaint and reporting platform (12315 dedicated line);

• Promote the pilot program of "seven-day no-reason return" for online automobile transactions;

• Establish a credit file system for online marketing of automobile companies;

• Exposure and publicize major typical cases.

5. Long-term industry development suggestions

Experts suggest that the automotive industry should take this opportunity to establish a long-term mechanism:

1. Formulate industry standards for "Car Online Marketing Behavior Code";

2. Implement third-party data authentication system;

3. Establish a joint self-discipline convention between car companies, platforms and dealers;

4. Strengthen vocational training and certification of practitioners.

This special rectification will last until the end of September, and the six departments will establish a joint supervision mechanism and regularly announce the progress of the rectification. Industry insiders said that this move will effectively purify the automobile network consumption environment and create good conditions for the popularization of new energy vehicles and the high-quality development of the industry.