Compiled from: The Paper, Zhihu, Beijing News

Event review:

On May 30, a Weibo account named "Xiaodao Li De Dahai" suddenly posted a long post, accusing her daughter's teacher of physically punishing the child despite knowing she had asthma, causing the daughter to vomit a large amount of blood, with the situation severe enough to be life-threatening. It even included multiple photos of a school uniform stained with "blood."

Subsequently, the account posted over a dozen Weibo messages within a day, claiming that her child had suffered for half a year without anyone paying attention, and asking netizens to help her "seek justice."

The shocking impact of the blood-stained clothes finally propelled the incident to quickly trend on hot searches, with major media outlets like People's Daily and The Paper swiftly following up.

Faced with such horrifying and inhumane experiences, everyone's compassion and indignation were aroused. Netizens actively helped share the posts, hoping to reach a wider audience and prompt the investigation team to take action.

After the incident, the Baiyun District Education Bureau of Guangzhou quickly set up a special investigation team to clarify the facts. Netizens joked that the complaint had been ignored for half a year, but as soon as it trended online, an investigation team was immediately formed.

Event Reversal:

On May 31, Guangzhou Baiyun police reported:

Regarding the online rumor that a teacher from Guangzhou Fangyuan Experimental Primary School was suspected of physically punishing a student, the police have actively cooperated with relevant departments in conducting an investigation.

After investigation and evidence collection, the poster Liu (Weibo name: Little Island's Big Sea) admitted that the details about his daughter suffering from physical punishment leading to blood vomiting, being threatened and beaten by the teacher at 2 a.m., and giving the teacher 60,000 yuan were fabricated.It is a lie deliberately fabricated by her to expand influence. The "bloodstains" on the clothes shown in the photo are actually cosmetics and water, and her daughter is currently in good mental state.

According to the hospital that received Liu's daughter, neither the patient nor her family mentioned a history of asthma or vomiting blood during the visit, and Liu is currently unable to provide any medical records proving his daughter's asthma diagnosis.Meanwhile, during the investigation, the police also found evidence that Liu had hired individuals to engage in online promotion.
At present, Liu's actions have severely disrupted public order, caused a negative social impact, and are suspected of constituting the crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble. The police have filed a case for investigation and have taken criminal detention measures against Liu in accordance with the law.

Relevant laws:

1. Defamation
Objective elements: (1) The perpetrator fabricates and spreads certain false facts; (2) The fabricated facts are sufficient to damage another person's personality or reputation; (3) The circumstances are serious.
Sentencing standard: shall be sentenced to fixed-term imprisonment of not more than three years, criminal detention, public surveillance, or deprivation of political rights.
Note: This charge isa crime that requires a complaint, meaning Liu Yan must file a lawsuit with the People's Court on her own for the court to accept the case. However, there is an exception for cases that seriously harm social order and national interests. In this case, it cannot be ruled out that the public security authorities may classify this incident as seriously harming social order and causing significant impact.

2. Crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble
Objective manifestation: acts of creating trouble without cause, stirring up disturbances, and disrupting public order. 
According to judicial interpretation: Fabricating false information, or knowingly spreading fabricated false information on the internet, or organizing or instructing others to spread such information, causing a disturbance and seriously disrupting public order, shall be punished as the crime of picking quarrels and provoking trouble.
Sentencing standard: Fixed-term imprisonment of not more than five years, criminal detention, or public surveillance.

3. Civil liability
In civil law, it also constitutes an infringement of the right to reputation. Reference to the Civil Code that has not yet been implemented:
Article 1024 of the Civil Code: Civil subjects enjoy the right to reputation. No organization or individual may infringe upon others' right to reputation by means of insult, defamation, etc.
Liu Yan may file a lawsuit with the court to demand that Liu restore her reputation, eliminate the impact, and make an apology.

[1] The author's view:

[2] Things have developed to this point. The harm done by this parent lies not only in falsification and exaggeration, nor merely in fabricating accusations against others and institutions. Her greatest harm is exploiting the public's goodwill and internet self-media—a platform where ordinary people can still raise their faintest voices. She staged a "crying wolf" scenario online, consuming the public's conscience and the credibility of the internet, wasting the right of a future child who truly suffers corporal punishment and vomits blood to seek justice from society.
 
[3] At the same time, many have commented that the law is meaningless, that public authority is untrustworthy, and that the teacher in question has connections, among other remarks.

[4] However, a modern civilized society is one governed by the rule of law. Even if the national legal system has imperfections or areas needing improvement, the law is a set of norms protecting values such as fairness, justice, and freedom. We should have faith in the law, trust the law, and rely on the judiciary.

[5] As Chinese citizens, we are not only beneficiaries of a rule-of-law China but also its promoters and participants. Only when we understand and know the law, and are adept at using it to protect our own rights, can the law be engraved in everyone's heart and become a code of conduct for all—rather than allowing connections or backgrounds to become our guiding principles. Through legal education and trust in the law, we can enhance civic wisdom, prevent public opinion from being hijacked by mob mentality, and let each small step forward by individuals contribute to a giant leap for society.