996 working hour system

{{See also|Labor relations in China}}

The culture of overtime work has a long history in Chinese IT companies,{{cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/yuqing/2018-03/30/c_129840094.htm|script-title=zh:50.7%受访者称所在企业有"加班文化"|trans-title=50.7% of respondents said their companies have an "overtime culture"|website=Xinhuanet|publisher=China Youth Daily|last1=Wang |first1=Pinzhi |date=2018-03-30|access-date=2019-03-31|language=zh-hans|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331172151/http://www.xinhuanet.com/yuqing/2018-03/30/c_129840094.htm|archive-date=2019-03-31}} where the focus is typically on speed and cost reduction.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160825-inside-the-high-pressure-world-of-chinas-overtime-dogs|title=Inside the high-pressure world of China's start-up workers|website=BBC|author=Justin Bergman|date=2016-08-26|access-date=2019-03-31|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331174218/http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20160825-inside-the-high-pressure-world-of-chinas-overtime-dogs|archive-date=2019-03-31}} Companies employ a range of measures, such as reimbursing taxi fares for employees who remain working at the office late into the night, to incentivize overtime work.{{cite web|url=https://www.yicai.com/news/100111346.html|script-title=zh:默认996工作制背后：被撕掉的焦虑遮羞布|trans-title=Behind the default 996 work system: tearing off the veil of anxiety|website=第一财经|trans-website=Yicai|editor1-last=Liu|editor1-first=Jia|date=2019-01-31|access-date=2019-03-31|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331173237/https://www.yicai.com/news/100111346.html|archive-date=2019-03-31}}

This system of working for long hours with few breaks has been known to increase the occurrence of mental and physical problems seen in workers. It is estimated that more than three-quarters of urban workers in big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou suffer from work-related fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, sleep{{cite news |last1=Liang |first1=Lu-Hai |title=The psychology behind 'revenge bedtime procrastination' |url=https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20201123-the-psychology-behind-revenge-bedtime-procrastination |publisher=BBC|date=21 January 2021|access-date=19 May 2022}} or eating disorders, occupational stress, and work–family imbalance.{{cite journal |last1=Tsui |first1=Audrey H. H. |title=Asian wellness in decline: a cost of rising prosperity |journal=International Journal of Workplace Health Management |date=27 June 2008 |volume=1 |issue=2 |pages=123–135 |doi=10.1108/17538350810893919 |url=https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/17538350810893919/full/html |access-date=29 May 2022 |issn=1753-8351|url-access=subscription }} According to China's state-owned People's Daily, a 2013 survey showed that 98.8% of Chinese IT industry workers reported health problems.{{cite news |last1=Monet |first1=Charmika |title=Working to Death in China |url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/03/working-to-death-in-china/ |access-date=29 May 2022 |work=The Diplomat |date=26 March 2014}}{{cite news |script-title=zh:英报：过劳死提醒中国人"懒散些" |trans-title=British newspaper: overwork death reminds Chinese people to "be lazy"|url=http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/0306/c157278-24548778.html |access-date=29 May 2022 |work=People's Daily |agency=Xinhua News Agency |date=6 March 2014|script-quote=zh:信息技术(IT)从业人员似乎尤其脆弱：近日一项覆盖35万IT从业者的调查显示，98.8%的受访者表示自己有健康问题。|trans-quote=Information technology (IT) workers appear to be particularly vulnerable: a recent survey covering 350,000 IT workers showed that 98.8% of respondents said they had health problems. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126094850/http://world.people.com.cn/n/2014/0306/c157278-24548778.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 January 2021}} Numerous overwork deaths and suicides have occurred during past decades due to the 996 system and other overtime work systems in China.{{cite web |title=Death from Overwork in China |url=https://clb.org.hk/content/death-overwork-china |website=China Labour Bulletin |access-date=19 May 2022 |language=en |date=11 August 2006}}{{cite news |last1=Tan |first1=J. S. |title=Tech Workers Lie Flat |url=https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/tech-workers-lie-flat |access-date=19 May 2022 |work=Dissent |date=2022}}

In 2020, a study published in IEEE Software done by Chinese researchers found that "Chinese businesses are more likely to follow long work hours than American ones".{{Cite journal|last1=Zhang|first1=Jiayun|last2=Chen|first2=Yang|last3=Gong|first3=Qingyuan|last4=Wang|first4=Xin|last5=Ding|first5=Aaron Yi|last6=Xiao|first6=Yu|last7=Hui|first7=Pan|date=March 2021|title=Understanding the Working Time of Developers in IT Companies in China and the United States|url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9068220|journal=IEEE Software|volume=38|issue=2|pages=96–106|doi=10.1109/MS.2020.2988022|s2cid=218777201|issn=0740-7459}} Another study likened 996 culture to "modern slavery", formed through the combination of "unrestricted global capitalism and a Confucian culture of hierarchy and obedience".

In September 2016, the classified advertising website {{ill|58.com|zh|58同城}} officially declared its adoption of the 996 working hour system,{{cite web|url=https://e27.co/leak-58-com-chinese-tech-companies-overtime-culture-20160905/|title=Leak from 58.com: Chinese tech companies' overtime culture|website=e27|date=2016-09-05|access-date=2019-04-28|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428053251/https://e27.co/leak-58-com-chinese-tech-companies-overtime-culture-20160905/|archive-date=2019-04-28}} attracting criticism from employees and social commentators. The company responded that the 996 system would be an encouraged, not compulsory, practice.{{cite web|url=http://news.ifeng.com/a/20160903/49890940_0.shtml|last1=Zhao|first1=Lei|last2=Wang|first2=Yu|script-title=zh:58同城员工吐槽"996工作制"|trans-title=58.com employees complain about "996 work system"|date=2016-09-03|website=Phoenix New Media|publisher=The Beijing News|language=zh-hans|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331172144/http://news.ifeng.com/a/20160903/49890940_0.shtml|archive-date=2019-03-31|url-status=live|access-date=2019-03-30}}{{cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/china/2019/04/20/office-workers-in-china-organise-a-rare-online-labour-movement|title=Office workers in China organise a rare online labour movement|newspaper=The Economist|date=2019-04-17|access-date=2019-04-29|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190429010944/https://www.economist.com/china/2019/04/20/office-workers-in-china-organise-a-rare-online-labour-movement|archive-date=2019-04-29}}

A CNBC article in May 2021 reported that workers at TikTok's parent company ByteDance were unhappy with the 996 work culture there and that people were turning down job opportunities at TikTok because of it.{{cite news |first=Sam |last=Shead |title=Why some tech workers are turning down jobs at TikTok |date=2021-05-06 |url= https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/06/tiktoks-toxic-culture-reviews-on-glassdoor-impact-hiring.html |access-date=2022-04-23}} In November 2021, ByteDance moved away from 996 and mandated shorter working hours.{{cite news |first=Zheping |last=Huang |title=TikTok Owner ByteDance Mandates Shorter Working Hours |date=2021-10-31 |work=Bloomberg News |url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-01/tiktok-owner-limits-workday-to-nine-hours-in-blow-to-996-culture |access-date=2022-04-23}} Nevertheless, on 23 February 2022, the sudden death was reported of a 28-year-old employee at ByteDance, after he posted a message on {{Ill|Maimai (website)|lt=Maimai|zh|脉脉}}, a career and social networking platform, the night before. ByteDance later issued a statement that was shared in an internal letter with its staff in China, according to which the employee felt dizzy after an hour of exercise at the company gym, before he was taken to the hospital. The incident raised scrutiny of the frequent overtime demands of Chinese tech companies.{{Cite web |date=2022-02-23 |title=Death of 28-year-old ByteDance employee fuels ongoing controversy on overwork in Chinese tech companies |url= https://kr-asia.com/death-of-28-year-old-bytedance-employee-fuels-ongoing-controversy-on-overwork-in-chinese-tech-companies |access-date=2022-02-24 |work=KrASIA}}

After 58.com's 996 schedule was made known to the public, an internal email from the vice-president Gang He ({{lang-zh|links=no|c=何剛}}) of JD.com was leaked online, which contained a demand for the management team of JD.com to implement the 996 working hour system "on a flexible basis".{{cite web|url=https://news.qudong.com/article/358861.shtml|script-title=zh:不学好！曝京东云高管"以身作则"实行996工作制|trans-title=Not learning well! JD's executives exposed as "leading as example" by implementing the 996 work system|last=Song |first=Tao|website=qudong.com|date=2016-09-02|access-date=2019-03-30|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331174634/https://news.qudong.com/article/358861.shtml|archive-date=2019-03-31}}

On 15 March 2019, an employee of JD.com alleged that some departments have begun implementing the 995 schedule, while other departments have already finished doing so. Following the report, the public relations department of JD.com announced that overtime work was not compulsory.{{cite web|url=https://www.guancha.cn/economy/2019_03_12_493302.shtml |script-title=zh:京东回应"955工作制"：不强制，但要全情投入|trans-title=JD's responses to "955 working hour system": not mandatory, but employees need to be fully engaged at work|website=Guancha.cn|last=Xu|first=Qian'ang|date=2019-03-12|access-date=2019-03-30|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331174634/https://www.guancha.cn/economy/2019_03_12_493302.shtml|archive-date=2019-03-31}}

Richard Liu, the founder of the company, said that the reason for his company's layoffs is because there were too many "slackers" and they were not his "brothers".{{Cite web|author1=Josh Horwitz|author2=Brenda Goh|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-jd-com-labour-idUSKCN1RP06D|title=China's JD.com boss criticizes 'slackers' as company makes cuts|website=Reuters|date=2019-04-13|access-date=2019-04-29|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190429012355/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-jd-com-labour-idUSKCN1RP06D |archive-date=2019-04-29}} He said JD did not force its staff to work the "996" or even a "995" overtime schedule,

"But every person must have the desire to push oneself to the limit!".

In early January 2021, the e-commerce platform Pinduoduo was accused of forcing its employees to do extremely intensive overtimes, which supposedly led to the karoshi death of a 22-year-old worker.{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3116385/death-22-year-old-pinduoduo-employee-renews-controversy-over-chinas|title=Death of 22-year-old Pinduoduo employee renews controversy over China's 996 overwork culture, sparking an investigation|website=South China Morning Post|author=Yujie Xue|date=2021-01-04|access-date=2021-01-05|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210105152953/https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3116385/death-22-year-old-pinduoduo-employee-renews-controversy-over-chinas|archive-date=2021-01-05}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-tech-death-pinduoduo/2021/01/05/c68bdd76-4eff-11eb-a1f5-fdaf28cfca90_story.html|title=Death of Chinese tech worker fuels anger over brutal hours|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=2021-01-05|access-date=2021-01-11|url-status=live|archive-date=2021-01-05|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210105182834/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-tech-death-pinduoduo/2021/01/05/c68bdd76-4eff-11eb-a1f5-fdaf28cfca90_story.html}} Later, the official account of Pinduoduo posted (but deleted shortly afterwards) an answer on Zhihu, saying "Those who are at the bottom of the society earn their wages at the risk of losing their lives".{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=4 January 2021|script-title=zh:知乎回应拼多多账号截图：身份真实无误相关回答实为自行删|trans-title=Zhihu's responses to Pinduoduo screenshots: No doubts of authenticity, answer was actually self-deleted|url=https://finance.sina.com.cn/tech/2021-01-04/doc-iiznezxt0543159.shtml|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210104195557/https://finance.sina.com.cn/tech/2021-01-04/doc-iiznezxt0543159.shtml |archive-date=2021-01-04 |access-date=|website=Sina News |language=zh-hans}}

Just a few days after the early January accident, another employee committed suicide by jumping.{{cite web|title=2 employee deaths and a viral video renew debate of China's '996' overwork culture|url=https://fortune.com/2021/01/11/pinduoduo-employee-death-suicide-china-996/|website=Fortune|date=2021-01-11|access-date=2021-01-11|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210111180557/https://fortune.com/2021/01/11/pinduoduo-employee-death-suicide-china-996/|archive-date=2021-01-11}}{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pinduoduo-employee-suicide-china/2021/01/11/7e56dd14-53c1-11eb-acc5-92d2819a1ccb_story.html|title=New employee death at Chinese tech giant Pinduoduo prompts calls for boycott|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=2021-01-11|access-date=2021-01-11|url-status=live|archive-date=2021-01-11|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210111184543/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/pinduoduo-employee-suicide-china/2021/01/11/7e56dd14-53c1-11eb-acc5-92d2819a1ccb_story.html}} On 10 January, news sources reported that Pinduoduo fired an employee who posted photos showing his colleague being carried into an ambulance.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|script-title=zh:网传拼多多员工因在网上发布同事被抬上救护车的照片，被管理层逼迫主动辞职、赶出公司？事件真实性如何？|trans-title=It was reported that a Pinduoduo employee was forced to resign and kicked out of the company by the management for posting photos of a colleague being carried in an ambulance online? What is the authenticity of the incident?|url=https://www.zhihu.com/question/438581129/answer/1670519587|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625141638/https://www.zhihu.com/question/438581129/answer/1670519587 |archive-date=2021-06-25 |access-date=|website=Zhihu |language=zh-hans}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|script-title=zh:拼多多员工因发帖被逼主动辞职|trans-title=Pinduoduo employees forced to resign due to posting|url=https://finance.sina.com.cn/zt_d/pddyg/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111150909/https://finance.sina.com.cn/zt_d/pddyg/ |archive-date=2021-01-11 |access-date=|website=Sina News |language=zh-hans}}

In January 2019, an employee of Youzan stated on the social platform Maimai that their supervisor had enforced the 996 schedule.{{cite web|url=https://36kr.com/p/5174571|script-title=zh:有赞年会宣布996制度、鼓励员工离婚，为什么越来越多企业炫耀"扭曲"价值观？|author=三言财经|website=36氪|date=2019-01-28|access-date=2019-03-30|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190331182045/https://36kr.com/p/5174571|archive-date=2019-03-31}} Bai Ya, the CEO of Youzan, replied, "it would be a good thing to look back at a few years later". Some media outlets criticized this schedule.{{cite web|url=http://www.njdaily.cn/2019/0129/1750899.shtml|script-title=zh:强推"996"工作制 有赞做错了什么？|website=南报网|author=张瑜|editor=尹淑琼|date=2019-01-29|access-date=2019-03-30|language=zh-hans|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190331181923/http://www.njdaily.cn/2019/0129/1750899.shtml|archive-date=2019-03-31}} Later that month, the Labour Supervision Group of Xihu District, Hangzhou announced that the company was under investigation.{{cite web|url=http://www.sohu.com/a/292405890_115565|script-title=zh:杭州劳动监察部门回应有赞"996"工作制：已介入调查|website=搜狐|author=尹莉娜|date=2019-01-31|access-date=2019-03-31|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331175506/http://www.sohu.com/a/292405890_115565|archive-date=2019-03-31}}

At least 40 companies, including Huawei and Alibaba Group, have implemented the 996 schedule or an even more intensive alternative.{{cite web|url=http://news.cctv.com/2019/04/05/ARTIofU2qyA67PWOlgfMBbgR190405.shtml|script-title=zh:互联网公司加班问题加剧 40家陷"996"工作制风波|trans-title=The problem of overtime work in Internet companies has intensified, and 40 companies are caught in the "996" work system troubles|website=China Central Television|publisher=Beijing Youth Daily|last1=Wen |first1=Jing|date=2019-04-05|access-date=2019-04-09|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409144603/http://news.cctv.com/2019/04/05/ARTIofU2qyA67PWOlgfMBbgR190405.shtml|archive-date=2019-04-09}}{{Cite news|last1=Lin|first1=Qiqing|last2=Zhong|first2=Raymond|date=2019-04-29|title='996' Is China's Version of Hustle Culture. Tech Workers Are Sick of It.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/29/technology/china-996-jack-ma.html|access-date=2021-06-08|issn=0362-4331}}

File:996.ICU.logo.svg project]]

On 26 March 2019, the 996.ICU repository and website were created. The repository on GitHub states that the name "996.icu" refers to how developers who work under the 996 system would risk poor health and a possible stay in an intensive care unit. The movement's slogan is "developers' lives matter".{{cite web|url=https://github.com/996icu/996.ICU/blob/5a9758795661b0f38ea4b8f2cb0f015bff91d884/README.md|title=996.ICU/README.md|website=GitHub|date=2019-03-30|access-date=2019-03-31}}{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3003691/developers-lives-matter-chinese-software-engineers-use-github|title='Developers' lives matter' – Chinese software engineers use Github to protest against the country's 996 work schedule|website=South China Morning Post|author=Yingzhi Yang|date=2019-03-29|access-date=2019-03-31|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331011739/https://www.scmp.com/tech/start-ups/article/3003691/developers-lives-matter-chinese-software-engineers-use-github|archive-date=2019-03-31}}{{cite web|url=https://www.inkstonenews.com/tech/china-tech-workers-protest-996-working-schedule-github/article/3003800|title=China's tech workers protest brutal work culture with communist jingles|date=2019-03-29|access-date=2019-03-31|language=en|website=Inkstone|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331012201/https://www.inkstonenews.com/tech/china-tech-workers-protest-996-working-schedule-github/article/3003800|archive-date=2019-03-31}}{{cite web|url=https://www.oschina.net/news/105515/developers-lives-matter|script-title=zh:No sleep, no sex, no life，程序员这次忍不了了|author=局长 (Pseudonym)|website=开源中国|date=2019-03-29|access-date=2019-03-31|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331182921/https://www.oschina.net/news/105515/developers-lives-matter|archive-date=2019-03-31}}{{cite web|url=https://www.abacusnews.com/digital-life/follow-chinas-996-work-hours-and-youll-end-icu-says-chinese-developer/article/3003702|title=Follow China's '996' work hours and you'll end up in an ICU, says Chinese developer|author=Xinmei Shen|website=Abacus|date=2019-03-28|access-date=2019-03-31|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331183121/https://www.abacusnews.com/digital-life/follow-chinas-996-work-hours-and-youll-end-icu-says-chinese-developer/article/3003702|archive-date=2019-03-31}}{{cite web|url=https://radiichina.com/github-protest-chinese-tech-996/|title=GitHub Protest Over Chinese Tech Companies' '996' Culture Goes Viral|website=RADII|date=2019-03-28|access-date=2019-03-31|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331183128/https://radiichina.com/github-protest-chinese-tech-996/|archive-date=2019-03-31}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/2/18291035/chinese-developers-github-protest-long-work-hours|title=Chinese developers use GitHub to protest long work hours|last=Liao|first=Shannon|date=2019-04-02|access-date=2019-04-09|website=The Verge|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190409234915/https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/2/18291035/chinese-developers-github-protest-long-work-hours|archive-date=2019-04-09}}

Two days later, on 28 March 2019, the repository had already received 50 thousand stars, and 100 thousand stars on 30 March 2019, which made it the top trending repository on GitHub.{{cite web|url=https://36kr.com/p/5189654|script-title=zh:用代码抗议996加班：集结在github上的程序员，正在进行一场社会实验|website=36氪|author=橙皮书|date=2019-03-28|access-date=2019-03-30|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190331181456/https://36kr.com/p/5189654|archive-date=2019-03-31}} The repository reached 120 thousand stars on 31 March 2019, and 200 thousand stars on 9 April 2019, making it the second most starred repository on GitHub. The flurry of activity led to the "issue" page of the repository to be flooded with spam and shut down, which was hotly discussed on Zhihu, Sina Weibo, and WeChat.{{cite web|author=Xue Yujie|url=https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1003771/chinese-developers-protest-overwork-on-github|title=Chinese Developers Protest Overwork on GitHub |website=Sixth Tone|editor=David Paulk|date=2019-03-28|access-date=2019-03-31|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331180416/https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1003771/chinese-developers-protest-overwork-on-github|archive-date=2019-03-31}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_3219454|script-title=zh:数据解读｜都是哪些程序员在GitHub上反对996？|author=Alfred数据室|website=澎湃新闻|date=2019-03-29|access-date=2019-03-31|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://archive.today/20190331181152/https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_3219454|archive-date=2019-03-31}}

The original aim of the repository was to list the companies that use the 996 working hour system, but it soon developed into a movement; the {{ill|Anti 996 Licence|lt=|zh|反996许可证}} was created to explicitly prohibit companies using the 996 system from using open source{{Efn|Such a license would not meet most definitions of open source software, such as the Open Source Definition, as the 996 exclusion counts as a limitation on purpose of use.|group=}} code licensed under it.{{cite web |author1=唐云路 |author2=罗骢 |script-title=zh:996 惹怒程序员之后，他们的抗议引发了全球关注 |url=https://www.qdaily.com/articles/62652.html |website=Qdaily |date=2019-04-04 |access-date=2019-04-05 |language=zh-hans |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405013618/https://www.qdaily.com/articles/62652.html |archive-date=2019-04-05 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbeta.com/articles/tech/832449.htm|script-title=zh:火爆的996.ICU项目正在酝酿开源许可证 禁止996公司使用|website=cnBeta.COM|publisher=蓝点网|date=2019-03-29|access-date=2019-03-31|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331175534/https://www.cnbeta.com/articles/tech/832449.htm|archive-date=2019-03-31}}

On 2 April 2019, it was widely reported that Tencent's QQ browser and WeChat, Alibaba's UC Browser, Qihoo 360's 360 Browser, and many other browsers developed by companies in mainland China blocked the 996.icu repository on GitHub, describing it as "an illegal and fraudulent site".{{Cite web|url=https://www.abacusnews.com/digital-life/chinese-browsers-block-protest-against-chinas-996-overtime-work-culture/article/3004543|title=Chinese browsers block protest against China's 996 overtime work culture|author=Xinmei Shen|date=2019-04-03|access-date=2019-04-03|website=Abacus|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404071358/https://www.abacusnews.com/digital-life/chinese-browsers-block-protest-against-chinas-996-overtime-work-culture/article/3004543|archive-date=2019-04-04|url-status=live}}

On 18 April 2019, employees at Microsoft and GitHub created a GitHub repository named "support.996.ICU" in support of the 996.ICU campaign, which they believe could be under threat of Chinese government censorship.{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/22/18511088/microsoft-github-tech-censorship-996-repository-china|title=Microsoft workers pressure company to stand by embattled Chinese GitHub repo|author=Shannon Liao|website=The Verge|language=en|date=2019-04-22|access-date=2019-04-23|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423112803/https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/22/18511088/microsoft-github-tech-censorship-996-repository-china|archive-date=2019-04-23}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/23/microsoft-google-and-facebook-staff-protest-against-grueling-work-culture-of-chinese-tech-engineers.html|title=Microsoft employees add support to Chinese tech workers protesting 'grueling' overtime culture|author=David Reid|website=CNBC|language=en|date=2019-04-23|access-date=2019-04-23|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423132859/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/23/microsoft-google-and-facebook-staff-protest-against-grueling-work-culture-of-chinese-tech-engineers.html|archive-date=2019-04-23}}{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/microsoft-workers-join-chinas-debate-grueling-workweek-62557182|title=Microsoft workers join China's debate over grueling workweek|publisher=Associated Press|website=ABC News|language=en|date=2019-04-22|access-date=2019-04-23|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423131519/https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/microsoft-workers-join-chinas-debate-grueling-workweek-62557182|archive-date=2019-04-23}}{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-github-employees-stand-up-censorship-china-996-work-schedule-2019-4|title=A group of Microsoft and GitHub employees have come out in support of Chinese tech workers protesting the infamous '996' work hours|website=Business Insider|author=Rosalie Chan|date=2019-04-23|access-date=2019-04-23|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423134923/https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-github-employees-stand-up-censorship-china-996-work-schedule-2019-4|archive-date=2019-04-23}}{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/microsoft-employees-support-chinese-developers-fighting-for-fair-labor-practices/|title=Microsoft Employees Support Chinese Developers Fighting for Fair Labor Practices|website=Motherboard|author=Sarah Emerson|date=2019-04-23|access-date=2019-04-23|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423135654/https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/3k3n3v/microsoft-employees-support-chinese-developers-fighting-for-fair-labor-practices|archive-date=2019-04-23}}{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/microsoft-petition-996-icu-workweek-china|title=A Post About China's '996' Workweek Went Viral On GitHub. Now Microsoft Employees Want To Protect It From Censorship.|website=BuzzFeed News|author=Caroline O'Donovan|language=en|date=2019-04-22|access-date=2019-04-23|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423140031/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/carolineodonovan/microsoft-petition-996-icu-workweek-china|archive-date=2019-04-23}}

Jack Ma stated that workers should consider 996 "a huge blessing" as there is no way to "achieve the success [one] want[s] without paying extra effort and time",{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/15/business/jack-ma-996-china/index.html|title=Jack Ma endorses China's controversial 12 hours a day, 6 days a week work culture|website=CNN|author1=Serenitie Wang|author2=Daniel Shane|language=en|date=2019-04-16|access-date=2019-04-16|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416151640/https://edition.cnn.com/2019/04/15/business/jack-ma-996-china/index.html|archive-date=2019-04-16}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47934513|title=Jack Ma defends the 'blessing' of a 12-hour working day|website=BBC News|language=en|date=2019-04-15|access-date=2019-04-16|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416151641/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-47934513|archive-date=2019-04-16}}{{cite web|url=http://fortune.com/2019/04/15/jack-ma-996-culture/ |title=Alibaba's Jack Ma Again Endorses China's '996' Overtime Culture as Testament to Professional Passion|website=Fortune|date=2019-04-15|access-date=2019-04-16|language=en|author=Lulu Yilun Chen|author2=Bloomberg|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416184044/http://fortune.com/2019/04/15/jack-ma-996-culture/|archive-date=2019-04-16}}{{cite web|url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/alibabas-jack-ma-calls-the-996-chinas-72-hour-work-week-a-huge-blessing-2019-04-15 |website=MarketWatch|author=Nicole Lyn Pesce|title=Alibaba's Jack Ma calls the '996' – China's 72-hour workweek – a 'huge blessing'|date=2019-04-15|access-date=2019-04-16|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416184133/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/alibabas-jack-ma-calls-the-996-chinas-72-hour-work-week-a-huge-blessing-2019-04-15|archive-date=2019-04-16}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/15/china-tech-employees-push-back-against-long-hours-996-alibaba-huawei |title=Working 9 to 9: Chinese tech workers push back against long hours|website=The Guardian|author=Lily Kuo|date=2019-04-15|access-date=2019-04-17|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417022740/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/15/china-tech-employees-push-back-against-long-hours-996-alibaba-huawei |archive-date=2019-04-17}}{{cite web|title=The Richest Man in China Is Wrong. 12-Hour Days Are No 'Blessing'.|website=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/21/opinion/jack-ma-996.html|language=en|author=Bryce Covert|date=2019-04-21|access-date=2019-05-03|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503175428/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/21/opinion/jack-ma-996.html|archive-date=2019-05-03}} while Richard Liu, founder of JD.com, said that "Slackers are not my brothers!" Jason Calacanis, an entrepreneur and angel investor, describes 996 as "the same exact work ethic that built America".{{cite tweet|number=1117871180990439425|user=Jason|title=#Founders: We're up against #JackMa...|date=15 April 2019}}

Several Chinese media outlets criticized the 996 working system. Xin Shi Ping of the Xinhua News Agency said that the system "violates labor law and overtakes health and the future. It does harm to hard-working workers and is a misunderstanding of the hard-working spirit".{{cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2019-04/15/c_1124370790.htm|script-title=zh:辛识平：奋斗应提倡，996当退场|website=新华网|author=辛识平|date=2019-04-15|access-date=2019-04-16|language=zh-hans|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416153657/http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2019-04/15/c_1124370790.htm|archive-date=2019-04-16}} The People's Daily wrote that "advocating 'hard work' does not mean resorting to and enforcing the 996 system",{{cite web|url=http://t.people.com.cn/527612/185832169|script-title=zh:【#你好，明天#】|website=人民微博--人民日报|date=2019-04-14|access-date=2019-04-16|language=zh-hans|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416163547/http://t.people.com.cn/527612/185832169|archive-date=2019-04-16}}{{cite web|url=https://finance.sina.com.cn/china/gncj/2019-04-14/doc-ihvhiewr5835380.shtml|script-title=zh:人民日报微评：崇尚奋斗 绝不等于强制"996"|website=新浪财经|date=2019-04-14|access-date=2019-04-16|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416164329/https://finance.sina.com.cn/china/gncj/2019-04-14/doc-ihvhiewr5835380.shtml|archive-date=2019-04-16}}{{cite web|url=http://www.sohu.com/a/307927700_481640|script-title=zh:人民日报发声：崇尚奋斗，不等于强制996|website=搜狐|publisher=中国财经报|date=2019-04-14|access-date=2019-04-16|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416164640/http://www.sohu.com/a/307927700_481640|archive-date=2019-04-16}} while an editorial in the China News Service said that it is "unnecessary to exchange life for money".{{cite web |date=2019-04-16 |script-title=zh:逃离996：我宁可不婚不育不买房，也不要拼命 |url=http://sc.people.com.cn/n2/2019/0416/c345459-32846731.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416083001/http://sc.people.com.cn/n2/2019/0416/c345459-32846731.html |archive-date=2019-04-16 |access-date=2019-04-16 |website=人民网 |publisher=中国新闻网 |language=zh-hans}}

Beijing Daily criticized Jack Ma and Richard Liu for "boasting" the 996 work schedule, claiming that it is "aimed at disguising reduction of salary or lay-off",{{cite web|author=董禹含|url=http://bj.people.com.cn/n2/2019/0415/c82840-32841638.html|script-title=zh:马云强东争相鼓吹"996"背后是变相降薪或裁员|website=人民网|publisher=Beijing Daily|date=2019-04-15|access-date=2019-04-16|language=zh-hans|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416082939/http://bj.people.com.cn/n2/2019/0415/c82840-32841638.html|archive-date=2019-04-16}} while Wang Xinya, a writer for {{ill|Banyuetan|zh|半月谈}}, stated that some entrepreneurs disregarded the law and associate 996 with hard work, calling it "poisonous chicken soup" ({{langx|zh|毒鸡汤}}). Wang also stated that the system has nothing to do with employee diligence, but has everything to do with company interests.{{cite web|url=http://www.banyuetan.org/dyp/detail/20190415/1000200033134991555306789054254821_1.html |script-title=zh:半月谈评论：996与奋斗无关，与利益有关|website=半月谈|language=zh-hans|date=2019-04-15|access-date=2019-04-16|author=王新亚|editor=孔德明|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416182410/http://www.banyuetan.org/dyp/detail/20190415/1000200033134991555306789054254821_1.html|archive-date=2019-04-16}}

Python creator Guido van Rossum described the 996 work schedule as "inhumane" in a tweet commenting on an SCMP article about 996.{{cite news |last1=Qu |first1=Tracy |title=How GitHub became a bulletin board for Chinese tech worker complaints |url=https://qz.com/1589309/996-icu-github-hosts-chinese-tech-worker-complaints/ |access-date=29 May 2022 |work=Quartz |date=9 April 2019 |language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://en.pingwest.com/w/1238|title=Alibaba's Founder Jack Ma Says 996 Work Schedule Is a Blessing for Employees|website=PingWest|language=en|date=2019-04-12|access-date=2019-04-18|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418161645/https://en.pingwest.com/w/1238|archive-date=2019-04-18}}{{cite web|author=Rita Liao|url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/12/china-996/|title=China's startup ecosystem is hitting back at demanding working hours|website=TechCrunch|language=en|date=2019-04-12|access-date=2019-04-18|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418161638/https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/12/china-996/|archive-date=2019-04-18}} In 2021, Chinese scholars stressed on policy-makers that "there is a need to reform work policies to realize the lowering of working time per worker in China (and also to curb excessive-work cultures like 996)".{{Cite journal|last1=Javed|first1=Saad Ahmed|last2=Bo|first2=Yu|last3=Tao|first3=Liangyan|last4=Dong|first4=Wenjie|date=2021-06-07|title=The 'Dual Circulation' development model of China: Background and insights|journal=Rajagiri Management Journal|volume=17 |language=en|issue= |pages=2–20 |doi=10.1108/RAMJ-03-2021-0016|issn=0972-9968|doi-access=free}} Without such initiatives, the dual circulation policy is doomed to fail, they argued.

The 996 working hour system was deemed illegal by the Supreme People's Court on 27 August 2021.{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-27/china-s-top-court-says-excessive-996-work-culture-is-illegal|title=China Spells Out How Excessive 996 Work Culture is Illegal|newspaper=Bloomberg|date=27 August 2021|language=en}} However, it has been doubted whether this ruling will be fully enforced.{{cite news |last1=Meng |first1=Siyuan |title=China's burned-out tech workers are fighting back against long hours |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/11/15/1039650/china-tech-workers-996-fight-back/ |access-date=21 June 2022 |work=MIT Technology Review |date=15 November 2021 |quote=But even though authorities and state media seem to be taking a tougher stand, it is unclear when or if the rules that make 996 illegal will be fully enforced.}}{{cite journal |last1=Liu |first1=Hong Yu |title=The role of the state in influencing work conditions in China's internet industry: Policy, evidence, and implications for industrial relations |journal=Journal of Industrial Relations |date=24 January 2022 |volume=65 |page=12 |doi=10.1177/00221856211068488 |issn=0022-1856 |quote=The contradictory rulings by the district courts in these cases, one for the employee and two against, suggest that the legislative framework in China is not in a position that can stand firmly to defend workers against the inhumane and unlawful working hours. Wang and Cooke (2021) found a similar level of arbitrariness in court rulings in labour disputes between Chinese platforms and their workers.|doi-access=free}}

{{Portal|China|Company|Organized labor}}

• Buddha-like mindset
• Crunch (video games){{dash}} Compulsory overtime during the development of a game
• Eight-hour day
• Forty-Hour Week Convention, 1935{{dash}} An International Labour Organization convention
• Karōshi
• Lochner v. New York, Lochner era{{dash}} A landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court concerning maximum working hours
• Overwork
• Simple living
• Tang ping
• Wage theft
• Working time
• Workweek length

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

• [https://996.icu/#/en_US 996.icu]
• {{GitHub|996icu/996.ICU|996ICU}}
• {{YouTube|l8wWoQ3_F00|The Extreme 996 Work Culture in China}} from VICE Asia

{{Employment}}

{{Critique of work}}

Category:Chinese labour law

Category:Economy of China

Category:Ethically disputed working conditions

Category:GitHub

Category:Information technology in China

Category:Labor in China

Category:Labor rights