Chinese actress Bai Lu (白鹿) issued a joint statement with a law firm regarding aggressive remarks and rumors that surfaced online, announcing the full commencement of rights protection procedures through legal action.

According to Bai Lu's side, the 6 items that are the main targets of this lawsuit are "academic credential fraud," "falsification of billing order," "procedural violations in applying for a national third-grade actor qualification," "romance allegations," "demand for a change in the scriptwriter team," and "intimate relationships with investors," all of which she strongly condemned as "malicious defamation."

According to the statement, Bai Lu's side officially requested a law firm on the 10th and commenced a defamation lawsuit. Case establishment procedures have already been completed for 9 internet users who spread rumors on Chinese SNS Weibo (ウェイボー) and TikTok's Chinese version "Douyin" (ドウイン). Furthermore, evidence related to approximately 60 accounts suspected of infringement has also been preserved.

After the statement was released, some internet users raised questions about the choice to pursue a civil lawsuit for infringement of reputation rights instead of a criminal complaint for defamation, and the view emerged that "the rumors might not be complete fabrications."

Regarding this point, Chinese media, citing legal experts, explained that this is a "two-stage approach" to legal action often used for rights protection in the entertainment industry. This involves first proceeding with a civil lawsuit to confirm the facts of infringement and secure evidence, and then considering further legal action depending on the situation, which is considered a common method for protecting the rights of celebrities. (Mathilda)