Core Viewpoint - A new type of business environment issue has emerged, where self-media accounts, under the guise of "public opinion supervision," fabricate and exaggerate negative information about companies to extort money through so-called "business cooperation" [1][10]. Group 1: Incident Overview - A Shanghai coffee company was forced to pay a "hush fee" of 225,000 yuan due to fabricated negative reports claiming a high closure rate of its stores [1][3]. - The negative article claimed that the company's closure rate exceeded 80% over three years, which was later proven to be unfounded [1][12]. Group 2: Impact on the Company - The dissemination of false information severely damaged the company's commercial trust with partners, leading to the suspension of signed projects and difficulties in pursuing new collaborations [3][5]. - The company faced significant costs in attempting to refute the claims, including legal fees for sending cease-and-desist letters, which amounted to 2,000 yuan per letter [9][12]. Group 3: Extortion Tactics - The perpetrator, identified as Su, targeted medium-sized well-known companies that lacked robust legal and public relations teams, especially during critical business phases such as financing or expansion [9][10]. - Su utilized a network of accounts with over 100,000 followers to create a façade of credibility, while the actual operation was conducted by him alone [10][12]. Group 4: Law Enforcement Response - Following the company's report to the police, an investigation revealed that Su had a systematic approach to extortion, leading to his arrest for extortion [7][14]. - The Shanghai Cyber Administration has initiated actions to combat such "black mouth" incidents, aiming to increase the legal costs for offenders and protect businesses from such threats [14][15]. Group 5: Regulatory Measures - The Central Cyberspace Administration of China launched a special action to address the issue of online extortion targeting businesses, focusing on creating a comprehensive governance system [14][15]. - New measures, such as the "Enterprise Infringement Information Processing Service Package 2.0," have been introduced to assist companies in reporting and gathering evidence against such extortion attempts [15][18].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the impact of misinformation, particularly "small essays," on the stock market and the regulatory response to mitigate its effects, highlighting the challenges faced by financial platforms like Tonghuashun in ensuring compliance and protecting investors [4][6][10]. Group 1: Regulatory Actions and Market Impact - In June 2025, multiple securities regulatory bureaus required listed companies and financial institutions to report on "small essays," which have evolved from early stock market rumors to AI-generated misinformation [4][6]. - The first trading day of 2025 saw a rumor about regulatory requirements causing market fluctuations, prompting the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) to issue a clarification [4]. - Tonghuashun experienced a significant stock price drop of 14.3% on November 15, 2024, due to rumors of illegal stock recommendations, resulting in a market value loss exceeding 240 billion yuan [6][10]. Group 2: Company Compliance and Governance Issues - Tonghuashun's subsidiary faced regulatory action for multiple violations, including misleading marketing practices and unqualified staff providing investment advice, leading to a three-month suspension of new client onboarding [7][10]. - The company's social responsibility report indicates efforts to enhance investor education through initiatives like "Investor School" and support for legal rights protection, but these efforts are undermined by compliance failures [10][11]. - The repeated violations by the subsidiary highlight a gap between the company's ESG commitments and actual governance practices, indicating a need for improved compliance mechanisms and training [10][11]. Group 3: Social Responsibility and Investor Protection - The spread of misinformation directly impacts consumer rights, reflecting on the company's responsibility to protect investors and ensure fair trading practices [10][11]. - Despite initiatives aimed at educating investors, the company's failure to prevent misleading practices by its employees raises concerns about the effectiveness of its compliance training [11]. - The article emphasizes the contradiction between the company's stated ESG commitments and the reality of its operational practices, particularly in relation to investor protection and product responsibility [10][11].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the challenges faced by the well-known brand "胖东来" (Pang Dong Lai), including a marketing controversy with a similarly named competitor "胖都来" (Pang Dou Lai) and negative publicity from self-media sources [1][5]. Group 1: Marketing Controversy - The opening of "胖都来" in Zhejiang has sparked controversy due to its name being similar to "胖东来," leading to confusion among consumers [3][4]. - Several celebrities recorded congratulatory videos for "胖都来," but these were later removed following public backlash and a formal apology from actor Zhao Liang, clarifying no commercial ties with "胖都来" [4][6]. - Legal experts suggest that "胖都来" may be infringing on "胖东来"'s trademark rights, as the names are similar and could mislead consumers [4][6]. Group 2: Self-Media Criticism - Self-media has accused "胖东来" of exploiting low-cost jade to make excessive profits, leading to public criticism of its product quality [5][6]. - In response, "胖东来" founder 于东来 (Yu Dong Lai) invited critics to visit and investigate the company, emphasizing transparency [6][7]. - The local market regulatory authority found no violations during their inspection of "胖东来," and actions were taken against the self-media account that spread false information [7][8]. Group 3: Broader Implications - The article highlights the challenges faced by prominent companies in the self-media era, where misinformation can spread rapidly and harm reputations [8][10]. - It calls for stricter regulations and accountability from platforms hosting self-media content to prevent the spread of false information and protect businesses [10][11]. - The need for improved media literacy among the public is emphasized to combat the spread of rumors and ensure fair market competition [11].