Controversies

Sangfor employee-monitoring system raises privacy concerns

Issue disclosure

An article reported claims that Sangfor's behavior-awareness system can monitor employees' internet activity and identify employees considered likely to leave. Lawyers said monitoring without informing employees and obtaining their consent could constitute unlawful processing of personal information or infringe privacy. The article also reported that the product description had become unavailable on Sangfor's website.

The article reported claims that Sangfor's behavior-awareness system can monitor employees' internet activity and identify employees considered likely to leave. Lawyers said monitoring without informing employees and obtaining their consent could constitute unlawful processing of personal information or infringe privacy. The article also reported that the product description had become unavailable on Sangfor's website.

Regulatory rectification and shareholder transfer

Zhihu was reportedly instructed to rectify practices associated with unlawful release of information. Soon afterward, several shareholders reportedly transferred their stakes in the parent company to founder Zhou Yuan, who was reported to hold more than 99 percent thereafter.

Douyin sues Zhihu over hot-list content

Lawsuit filed

Douyin filed a lawsuit against Zhihu in the Beijing Internet Court, alleging that a Zhihu hot-list topic and its answers contained false information that defamed Douyin. In the suit, Douyin sought the deletion of the content, an apology, and compensation for economic losses. The dispute concerns content published on Zhihu's hot list and the responses associated with it.

Douyin sued Zhihu in Beijing Internet Court, alleging that a Zhihu hot-list topic and answers contained false information that defamed Douyin, and seeking deletion of the content, an apology, and compensation.

Court upholds ruling against Zhihu platform operator

Ruling

In a ruling dated August 4, 2020, the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court dismissed an appeal by Zhihu and upheld the original judgment against the platform operator. The court found that the platform had failed to take necessary measures in time regarding infringing content. As a result, the platform operator was held jointly liable with the publishers of that content for the harm that the infringement expanded into. The decision affirmed the earlier finding of liability rather than reversing it on appeal.

Zhihu responds to rectification notice

Company response

In November 2020, after being named by the Cyberspace Administration of China for rectification, the Chinese question-and-answer platform Zhihu issued a response. The company stated that it had zero tolerance for illegal and non-compliant information and that it would continue to strictly combat such information and non-compliant users. The statement followed the platform's identification by the cyberspace regulator as requiring rectification. Zhihu's response focused on its stated policy toward illegal and non-compliant content and users, without further details on specific measures or outcomes.

Temporary app-store removal over content compliance

Chinese cyberspace authorities required app stores to remove Zhihu for seven days, citing alleged illegal content and inadequate monitoring. The application became unavailable through Android stores and the Apple App Store during the cited period.