Lijiang Tourism Photography Firms to Sue Xiaohongshu Over Posts

Tourism photography businesses in Lijiang Old Town, a major tourist destination in Yunnan Province, said they plan to sue social media platform Xiaohongshu, as tensions rise over a flood of online warning posts that local industry representatives say have damaged the local tourism economy.

The Lijiang Old Town Tourism Photography Industry Association yesterday told The Paper that it had formally commissioned lawyers to prepare a collective public-interest lawsuit against Xiaohongshu and had begun gathering evidence.

The move followed a public letter issued a day earlier by the Old Town's Culture and Tourism Bureau, which accused Xiaohongshu of failing to fulfill its responsibility, allowing a large number of allegedly inaccurate posts about travel photography services to spread.

According to the bureau, these critical posts have led to more than 1 million yuan (US$140,000) in booking cancellations for local businesses as of December, with indirect losses exceeding 5 million yuan.

However, the article containing the bureau's letter was removed from its official WeChat account yesterday morning.

Xiaohongshu yesterday responded to the matter in an interview with The Beijing News that the platform encouraged sincere and authentic sharing of personal experiences, while cracking down on violations such as fabricated stories and exaggerated claims.

The company said it has established multiple public channels for reporting disputed or infringing content, allowing merchants to submit complaints along with supporting evidence. Platform staff review such reports, and content found to be in violation is handled promptly.

A search on Xiaohongshu for "Lijiang Old Town travel photography" yields numerous warning posts. Some users complain of perfunctory makeup, poor photography skills, or unsatisfactory shooting environments. One user shared a photo describing a shooting location as resembling a "garbage dump," with the image showing a visibly worn and damaged sofa used as a prop.

Another post, which has attracted more than 2,000 likes, detailed dissatisfaction with a styling experience, alleging that false eyelashes were glued improperly, hair was hastily arranged, and the final look differed significantly from what had been selected beforehand. The user said the resulting photos fell far short of expectations.

Criticism on the platform extends beyond travel photography services. Many users have posted "avoid-the-pitfall" notes about Lijiang Old Town itself. One widely shared post listed five main grievances, including overcrowding, highly repetitive shops, unremarkable food options, poor accommodation experiences, and excessive commercialization. That post has received more than 800 likes.