KFC Sues Chinese Companies For Spreading False Rumors About 8-Legged Chickens

KFC has filed a lawsuit against three Chinese companies, Shanxi Weilukuang Technology Company Ltd., Taiyuan Zero Point Technology Company, and Yingchenanzhi Success and Culture Communication Ltd., for spreading false information about its food.

The companies all allegedly posted false claims on social media about KFC, including that they raise "genetically modified, eight-legged, six-winged chickens." On KFC China's website, the company stated that these are some of the more popular, though false, rumors about KFC's food that make the rounds online. KFC is demanding 1.5 million yuan ($242,000 USD) and an apology from each of the companies, according to The Associated Press.

The lawsuit comes after a Chinese government crackdown on false information posted on social media. Two years ago, authorities launched a campaign to "clean up online rumors, negativity, and unruliness."

"The stepped-up efforts by the government in recent years to purify the online environment, as well as some judicial interpretations, have offered us confidence and weapons," KFC's China CEO Qu Cuirong said in a statement.