The "blood slave" incident is horrifying; the chain of crime must be severed.
Compiled from: Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission's Chang'an Sword
Case review
In May 2021, Li saw a job posting on 58.com for a nightclub security guard with relatively high wages, so he went to Chongzuo, Guangxi for an interview according to the recruitment information. Upon arriving in Chongzuo, he was driven to Pingxiang, a city under Chongzuo's jurisdiction, and then kidnapped to Cambodia.
In fact, Li had fallen into a cross-border online fraud gang, but he refused to engage in online fraud work, so he was repeatedly sold, forcibly bled by an online gambling company, and subjected to inhumane treatment. On February 2, 2022, Li successfully escaped. On February 11, with the help of the local Chinese volunteer group China-Cambodia Charity Team, he was sent to the First China-Cambodia Hospital for treatment. Li stated that he saw the job advertisement on 58.com, and this incident quickly drew widespread public attention.
On February 18, 2022, 58.com expressed deep sympathy for the victim's ordeal and urgently contacted relevant authorities, learning that the case was under ongoing investigation. It has not yet been confirmed that the victim saw the recruitment information on 58.com, nor has 58.com found any corresponding recruitment information posted by the company.
Civil Code of the People's Republic of China
Article 1194
[Network Tort Liability]
If a network user or network service provider infringes upon another person's civil rights and interests through the network, they shall bear tort liability.
Article 1197
[Joint Liability of Internet Service Providers]
If an internet service provider knows or should know that a network user is using its service to infringe upon the civil rights and interests of others, and fails to take necessary measures, it shall bear joint liability with that network user.
E-Commerce Law of the People's Republic of China
Article 38
It is stipulated that if an e-commerce platform operator knows or should know that a seller on its platform is selling goods or providing services that fail to meet the requirements for personal and property safety, or is otherwise infringing upon the lawful rights and interests of consumers, and fails to take necessary measures, it shall bear joint liability with that seller in accordance with the law.
[1] The author's perspective
This time, besides the "blood slave" incident, 58.com has also been trending, with many people expressing doubts and dissatisfaction towards the platform—has 58.com truly fulfilled the responsibilities that an internet platform should? This seemingly ordinary recruitment information hides a dark force that nearly cost the applicant's life. Although the involved party, Li, survived, this experience has caused him immense physical and psychological trauma, which may become an indelible shadow for the rest of his life.
Nowadays, almost all recruitment information is published through internet platforms, which is a mainstream trend. Therefore, when publishing recruitment information, platforms must strictly comply with relevant laws and regulations, fulfill their primary responsibilities as online publishers, conduct rigorous reviews of the published information, and verify the identity information of the information providers. Any information that may involve false advertising or unclear company identity should be prohibited from publication, so as to maximize the protection of information recipients. Thus, if an internet platform fails to fulfill its relevant review and verification obligations, it may bear joint liability or even face legal consequences.
Additionally, as job seekers, when we see recruitment information offering abnormally high salaries and benefits, we should remain vigilant rather than blindly believing it. Try to verify the company's business registration information, as well as the job location and responsibilities, to analyze whether the recruitment information is genuine and reliable. Always remember to protect yourself, as life and health come first.
