A social media post searching for a lost cochlear implant in Beijing has put a man and his families in controversy. 

A woman posted a message online on Wednesday seeking for help to find a cochlear implant device allegedly valued at 200,000 yuan (29,000 U.S. dollars) The device belongs to her brother, who told her he lost it while taking the subway. According to the post, he might have to receive another "craniotomy" if it was not found. 

The post written in a tone of urgency had immediately prompted netizens to join the search by reposting and providing information for the woman and her brother. But it was later accused of being a marketing strategy of the cochlear producer by using people's kindness. An article by a self-media doubted the medical necessity of a craniotomy and the real value of such a device. And the article claimed the post to be a marketing campaign as other cases of losing cochlear implant devices appeared around the country recently.   

The man's sister felt the pressure caused by the accusations and she told Beijing Youth Daily on Thursday that she was sorry to have provided with inaccurate information as her brother's previous surgery cost 170,000 yuan (25,000 U.S. dollars) instead of 200,000 yuan as stated. She added that she also misused the terminology "craniotomy" due to a lack of medical knowledge.   

She also denied it to be a social influencer's marketing campaign with the device's producer and provided evidence of the surgery done in 2008 and the purchase of the device. 

The man was reported to have received a replacement device given to him by a kind netizen on Thursday. According to the company, they contacted the man's family after seeing the news and helped him to adjust to the new temporary replacement. They also said the lost device, which was a sound processor worth 68,000 yuan (9,800 U.S. dollars) could be replaced without another surgery and that the man's sister might have made a mistake in the post out of urgency. 

The company said they were considering legal action against the false accusations. 

The debates sparked by the lost cochlear device has prompted some to think about the expression of ideas on the Internet. The Beijing News commented that the spirit of questioning did not come from generalization from questionable facts but rational and critical thinking. A netizen said time was needed to reach a conclusion and to prevent online bullying under such circumstances.