GWM gets trolled in its own $ 1.5 million plan by Chinese internet users

Great Wall Motor’s (GWM) initial plan of exposing online trolls by offering cash rewards has backfired, as Chinese internet users said that the Baoding-based manufacturer should instead focus on making better cars.

Last week, GWM announced a RMB 10 million (~RM 6.5 million or USD 1.5 million) program to reward users who alerted the company to organized or paid trolling against any Chinese manufacturer.

The reward will be paid out based on the value of the reported information, so long as the report is verified by GWM and a law enforcement agency.

According to Fu Xiaokang, a vice president at GWM, the plan is a response to unhealthy social media discourse surrounding the Chinese automotive scene. He gave an example of paid trolls disputing claims that a manufacturing defect caused an EV fire, and instead blamed the driver for setting the vehicle on fire as an attempt to mislead buyers about EVs.

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“These behaviors have damaged the previously fair and honest market environment and goes against the core values of our socialist society,” Fu added. “We welcome everyone to destroy rumors and restore the truth with us.”

According to Automotive News, Chinese internet users trolled GWM, saying that they should spend their money on improving their cars instead.

Moreover, some users also shot back at GWM, criticizing GWM for hypocrisy, as many positive comments left on GWM’s Weibo accounts were left by bots, or paid-for fake social media accounts.

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