ByteDance terminated 120 employees in mainland China during the third quarter of 2025 for violating company policies, according to a report today from the company’s Corporate Discipline and Professional Ethics Committee (via IT Home).
Of the 120 employees, 28 were publicly identified. Fourteen of these 28 individuals face criminal charges and have been referred to judicial authorities, with their information shared with an industry alliance and their stock options canceled. An additional four employees were reported to an industry alliance or had stock options canceled due to severe misconduct.
The company also disclosed two cases involving employees dismissed for social media violations, including leaking confidential information and publishing false content. One former employee created rumors about company layoffs and disguised pay cuts on Xiaohongshu, which led to public misunderstanding and damaged the company’s reputation. Another former employee repeatedly disclosed confidential information, such as colleague ranks and work experience, on Maimai, and fabricated information about company and team personnel changes.
