CEO Elon Musk spent years referring to himself as a “free speech absolutist.” When he acquired Twitter (now X) in 2022, he framed the deal as necessary for preserving free speech in the United States and beyond.

Tesla has embraced an aggressive legal strategy in China to stifle its critics — suing its own customers. Zhang Yazhou protested publicly that her Model 3's brakes had failed and caused an accident in 2021 that sent her parents to the hospital.

A report claims that Tesla has sued "at least" six car owners in China over the past four years after complaining about mechanical issues.

Tesla has sued its own customers and journalists in China for defamation – and won just about every time. Elon Musk's company has pioneered an aggressive legal strategy there.

Tesla has been suing customers, journalists and media outlets in China who complain or criticize their cars and winning every case.