Nongfu Spring Founder Continues to “Bombard” Internet Platforms

Recently, Zhong Shanshan, the founder and chairman of Nongfu Spring, posted on social media to criticize the impact of internet platforms on traditional industries and market economy. He pointed out that under the slogan of “eliminating middlemen,” internet platforms have actually become new “middlemen,” controlling public opinion, influencing public emotions, and fostering rumors and social divisions.

Zhong Shanshan wrote, “Farmers nationwide and the entire traditional industry are working for internet platforms.”

He believes that under the banner of eliminating middlemen, internet platforms have turned into middlemen themselves, controlling and distorting public opinions, manipulating national order, inciting anti-wealth and anti-government sentiments, spreading baseless rumors for their own profit. He sees all internet platforms as dominant economic entities more or less controlled by powerful corporations.

In his view, the foundation of market economic order and national prosperity should be about small benefits for the common people and small businesses, not just grand profits for powerful economic entities.

He urged market regulatory authorities to regulate market service fee rules, make public the fee standards and regulations, and ensure that the public has the right to know the truth!

In fact, this is not the first time Zhong Shanshan has openly criticized internet platforms. On January 17 of this year, he directly targeted China’s four major e-commerce platforms, labeling them as the “meat grinder” of the Chinese economy and likening them to the exploitative “skin flaying” of small and medium enterprises. These platforms extract excessive profits from small businesses, damaging the healthy development of the economic ecosystem.

As a Chinese entrepreneur, his continuous criticism of platforms not only reflects the conflicts between traditional industries and emerging economic models but also puts the monopolistic practices and opinion influence of internet platforms back in the public spotlight.

During a media exchange meeting in Ganzhou, Jiangxi on November 19, 2024, Zhong Shanshan called on Zhang Yiming, the founder of ByteDance, to issue an expected apology. He demanded that Zhang Yiming takes responsibility for the norms of corporate civilization, emphasizing that these norms should apply indiscriminately to everyone, regardless of their strength.

Following the passing of Zong Qinghou, the founder of Wahaha, Zhong Shanshan faced online harassment. Addressing this issue at the exchange meeting, Zhong Shanshan expressed concerns about algorithms that filter out multiple perspectives. He called for transparency in algorithms to allow all users to evaluate their significance.

Zhong Shanshan also called out Toutiao and Douyin, urging them not to use the so-called safe harbor principle to evade responsibility for civil behavior. He also mentioned Pinduoduo’s pricing system, believing it inflicts significant harm on Chinese brands and industries. This behavior is not just about driving out good practices with bad ones but also influencing industries. Price reflects industry direction, and a lack of government intervention signifies negligence.