Video by former Pinduoduo employee alleging poor working conditions at social commerce giant goes viral

A video posted by a former employee of Pinduoduo (PDD) detailing working conditions at the social e-commerce giant has gone viral amid heightened public concern over the long hours work culture at the country’s tech giants.

In a 15-minute video posted late on Sunday to his Weibo account, the former employee – who identifies himself by his screen name Wang Taixu – said he was abruptly fired from PDD on Friday. He said he was terminated because of a post he made on anonymous professional social network Maimai about a co-worker being hospitalised.

Wang accused the Shanghai-based firm of forcing its employees to work unreasonably long hours and alleged poor working conditions, including a shortage of toilet seats and providing spoiled food to workers.

“[They] have discovered that there is at least one company in China that can force some of its most brilliant minds to work like slaves,” Wang said in the video. “I think I can use one sentence to describe this company: it lacks the care for its employees that’s probably lacking in all major internet companies. All of these are real and weigh on every employee at Pinduoduo.”

Pinduoduo issued a statement on Monday morning confirming the identity of Wang as a former employee and explained that he was fired due to “repetitively posting malicious and extreme comments” on Maimai, in an apparent reference to the video.

Wang did not respond to a private request for comment sent via Weibo. PDD did not respond to the Post’s request for further comment by time of publication.