Alibaba

In 2025, Alibaba was confirmed as Apple's AI partner for China. Users have an additional Alibaba layer over Apple Intelligence that manipulates output to ensure all information is censored according to Chinese government requirements. This partnership enables systematic content filtering and government compliance in AI responses.

In January 2023, state-backed entities took stakes in two Alibaba subsidiaries overseeing a video platform and web browser. The 'golden shares' allow state-backed entity to install board member with veto rights over content review processes. Alibaba confirmed a state-owned multimedia entity has the right to appoint a director with veto power over content decisions. Cyberspace Administration of China requires elaborate AI model reviews.

A female staffer posted an 11-page account alleging her supervisor and a client sexually assaulted her on a business trip, with managers failing to act. Alibaba fired manager Wang Chengwen and accepted resignations from unit president and HR head. Critics noted Alibaba only acted after allegations went public on the company intranet. In December 2021, Alibaba fired the woman who made the allegations for 'spreading false information' and dismissed 10 staffers for sharing screenshots publicly.

China fined Alibaba $2.8 billion (18.2 billion yuan), representing 4% of 2019 sales, for antitrust violations. Investigation focused on forcing merchants to choose exclusively between platforms ('pick one of two'), stifling competition. Alibaba's market share exceeded 50% on Taobao and Tmall from 2015-2019. The antitrust review ended in August 2024 after more than three years.

In January 2021, China's propaganda arm ordered news outlets to strictly echo official line on Alibaba's antitrust probe, prohibiting original reporting and extended analysis. The restrictions also applied to coverage of Jack Ma. State directive required media to limit reporting on regulatory actions against the company.

A data breach exposed personally identifiable information including usernames, phone numbers, and email addresses, with 11 billion data points exposed affecting millions of users. In January 2021, Wall Street Journal reported Chinese regulators tried to make Ant share troves of Alipay data used by over a billion people, including spending habits, borrowing behaviors, and payment histories. Jack Ma had resisted authorities' attempts to access the data.

Jack Ma publicly criticized Chinese regulators at the Bund Financial Summit on October 24, 2020, stating banks have a 'pawnshop mentality' and calling regulators an 'old people's club.' Days later, Ant Group's $37 billion IPO—what would have been the world's largest—was suspended on November 3, 2020. Xi Jinping personally ordered the suspension after the criticism reached him. Ma, Eric Jing, and Simon Hu were summoned by regulators on November 2.