ByteDance has released another internal report disclosing employee violations. On September 4, the ByteDance Enterprise Discipline and Professional Ethics Committee issued its third quarterly report for mainland China in 2025, revealing disciplinary actions taken during the second quarter.
The report shows that 100 employees were terminated for violating company red lines, with 18 individuals being publicly named for serious violations including suspected criminal activities and malicious damage to company interests. Eight cases involving suspected criminal conduct have been referred to judicial authorities, with industry alliance notifications issued and stock options canceled.
Notably, under "Information Security Violations," the report highlighted 10 employees who participated in external paid interviews in violation of the company's Employee Code of Conduct and information security policies. To prevent further violations, the report warned that external consulting firms often approach employees through platforms like Maimai, LinkedIn, and Xiaohongshu under the guise of "expert interviews" or "industry research" to obtain confidential company information. The report urged employees to "reject such invitations to protect company information and data security, and safeguard your professional career."
In the "Other Violations" section, former employee Li was named for repeatedly fabricating and spreading false information damaging the company and employee reputations after departure. Beyond being publicly reported and notified to industry integrity alliances, Li will face legal consequences. The report stated that Li used social media platforms to maliciously attack and insult the company and former colleagues by impersonating other employees or posting anonymously, including "fabricating improper relationships among current employees, making insulting comments about company staff, creating false attacks on company hiring standards, and falsely claiming the company and employees violated personal privacy."
Despite Li's departure at the time of the incidents, the company emphasized it would pursue legal action to protect corporate and employee reputations.
Major internet companies have intensified internal culture building and anti-corruption efforts this year. On July 24, Beijing's Haidian District People's Procuratorate released the "Anti-Commercial Corruption Prosecution White Paper (2020-2024)," systematically reviewing 1,253 commercial corruption cases handled over five years. The cases included Feng, who was responsible for service provider onboarding approvals and incentive policy development at a Beijing-based short video platform company in Haidian District, who conspired with external parties to fraudulently obtain 140 million yuan in rewards.
According to reports, to expand business and attract traffic, the company frequently launched subsidy policies encouraging service provider onboarding and operator activities. Feng designed these policies, interpreted the rules, and supervised implementation. He deliberately "reserved" loopholes and continuously leaked confidential internal operational data to Tang, Yang, and others. With internal data as the "key," external merchants only needed to submit false application materials meeting reward criteria to "transplant" others' achievements to their own names. Within just one year, through this covert "funding pipeline," Feng and accomplices illegally embezzled 140 million yuan in rewards intended for service providers and operators.
On July 2, Bilibili Inc. issued an internal notification that Zhang Minmin, former General Manager of Game Cooperation Department, had committed serious job-related crimes during his tenure and was arrested by public security authorities. Bilibili stated that all employees must comply with national laws and regulations, encouraging staff and partners to report fraudulent violations while strictly protecting whistleblower confidentiality. Zhang's career spanned multiple companies including HSBC, Shanghai Moser, and Huawei, where he served as Gaming Center Director.
On July 1, renowned gaming company Perfect World issued an internal anti-corruption investigation announcement. Multiple individuals seriously violated company policies and employment contracts during their tenure, with some employees and supplier representatives suspected of criminal activities, prompting police reports. The Perfect World corruption case involved multiple departments including Baiwan Studio, Qingyun Studio, and Hardcore Studio.
The announcement noted that corruption-related personnel included studio heads, planning department heads, HR managers, art department action team leaders and employees, and art department heads, with the art department being particularly affected. Multiple individuals were detained by public security authorities.
On June 23, ByteDance internally released an Enterprise Discipline and Professional Ethics Committee report. One item in the report appeared related to a previously circulated whistleblowing incident. ByteDance did not respond to this matter. The anti-corruption report revealed that a former employee from the company's Seed department (ByteDance's Doubao large language model team) had an undeclared intimate relationship with a former HRBP (Human Resources Business Partner) supporting their team, violating the company's conflict of interest management regulations (such as superior-subordinate relationships, shared direct supervisors, or one party serving as the other's HRBP). The two individuals not only failed to report the conflict of interest as required but also made multiple false statements during investigations, seriously violating company policies. ByteDance terminated both individuals and withheld their full year-end bonuses.