Huawei clarifies copyright crackdown not aimed at viral toy

Harmony Intelligent Mobility, the smart car technology ecosystem backed by Huawei, issued a statement on Tuesday, clarifying that its recent copyright complaints targeted specific infringing online content, not the traditional Chinese toy "bamboo cicada" that has gone viral in social media videos.

The controversy stems from user-generated videos pairing the toy's buzzing sound with a famous moment from Huawei's Aito M9 launch event in 2023, where Huawei terminal business group chairman Yu Chengdong declared the vehicle "the best SUV under 10 million yuan ($1.48 million)". The toy's distinctive "wa wa" sound coincidentally matches the audience's gasps at the event, sparking a wave of parody videos with captions like "the best toy under 10 million yuan".

In its statement, Harmony Intelligent Mobility said it had monitored over 56,000 related posts as of Tuesday evening, and filed complaints against 171 specific pieces of infringing content, 144 of which were subsequently taken down by platforms. The company emphasized that all complaints were backed by clear evidence of infringement and reviewed by multiple departments before being filed.

"These complaints are part of our routine efforts to protect legitimate rights and target specific infringing content, not the 'bamboo cicada' toy," the company said. "We have never complained to any e-commerce platform about 'bamboo cicada' products, nor have we ever requested any platform to remove or stop selling them."

The company refuted online claims of a "nationwide takedown", "sales bans", or that ordinary videos showcasing the toy or sharing childhood memories were also removed.

"We respect normal online expression and well-intentioned criticism, and we will continue to protect the legitimate rights of our company and individuals in accordance with the law," the statement added.