The Regulation That Made Honest Reviews Illegal (Unless You’re a Corporation)
A new Chinese regulation designed to stop unfair product comparisons is being exploited by dominant firms like DJI to silence independent reviews. By weaponizing compliance costs and vague standards, incumbents can force platforms to censor criticism without proving it false. The result: a chilling effect that erodes consumer trust and leaves buyers dependent on marketing fluff. This is not a bug—it’s a feature of how regulatory capture works.