Counteraction
Evidence and Legal Action:
Evidence and Legal Action:
Dismantling a Competitor’s Smear Campaign in 7 Days
Executive Summary:
When a competitor orchestrated rumors that its specialty steel was counterfeit, Yuanfeng Industrial responded with evidence, platform complaints and public clarification. At T+0, it began collecting notarized evidence; at T+24h, it filed infringement complaints; at T+48h, it released comparison videos and a legal statement. Within 7 days, 85% of the malicious content had been removed from across the web, protecting the company’s reputation for technical excellence.
YF
Yuanfeng Industrial Materials
Yuanfeng Industrial
REF: 2025-PR-ANTI-RUMOR
Case Closed
Content Removal
85%
Infringing Content Removed Within 7 Days
Search Sentiment
Neutral
No Negative Results on the First Page of Brand Searches
Chain of Evidence
120GB
Items of Infringing Content Preserved by a Notary
01 / Context and Threat
Context: A Targeted Attack During Bidding
On the eve of bidding for a national infrastructure project, multiple anonymous accounts simultaneously posted fabricated videos alleging that Yuanfeng’s YF-800 steel failed to meet strength standards. Accompanied by forged test reports, the posts were designed to influence the bid evaluation.
Core Challenges
Information Asymmetry: The technical complexity of industrial specifications makes audiences vulnerable to misleading videos with strong visual impact.
Viral Spread: Algorithmic recommendations accelerated the spread of rumors, undermining confidence among decision-makers.
02 / Response Framework
T+0 Legal Action First
Securing Evidence: Immediately after the monitoring alert, engage a notary office to preserve rumor posts, videos and account records on the blockchain, securing evidence for potential litigation.
T+24h Platform Complaints
Formal Notices to Platforms: Submit a legal letter and supporting evidence to platform legal teams under the Civil Code and platform rules, requesting removal.
Deterring Publishers: Privately warn the leading rumor-spreading accounts to delete their posts and apologize or face potential criminal liability.
Deterring Publishers: Privately warn the leading rumor-spreading accounts to delete their posts and apologize or face potential criminal liability.
T+48h Public Clarification
Publish a formal statement and a national-level quality inspection report on the official website. Invite industry experts to create an educational video on identifying authentic steel, directly addressing the technical flaws in the allegations.
03 / Fact Check Cards
Online Rumors
- "Video exposes YF-800 steel fracturing—serious quality concerns!"
- "Yuanfeng uses low-grade recycled scrap steel."
Technical Facts
- Misattributed Footage: The video shows a 2022 incident at a small steel mill and does not feature Yuanfeng products.
- Material Traceability: Yuanfeng uses premium steel billets supplied directly by Baowu, with full supply chain traceability.
04 / Brand Protection
A Defense System Against Unfair Competition
- 24/7 Reputation Monitoring: Monitor keywords associated with competitor attacks to detect emerging threats within 15 minutes.
- Search Visibility: Build a library of search-optimized, authoritative content and publish educational articles regularly to secure first-page search visibility.
- Proactive Client Briefings: Brief clients on potential smear campaigns ahead of bidding to prepare them for misleading claims.
- Legal Fund: Establish a dedicated fund to pursue organized online smear campaigns through legal action.
