🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 181 (from laksa138)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa181.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical, ml_categories_json AS ml_categories_json, ml_types_json AS ml_types_json, ml_intent_types_json AS ml_intent_types_json, meta_language AS meta_language, attrs_author AS attrs_author, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(attrs_publish_time), 0) AS attrs_publish_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(attrs_original_publish_time), 0) AS attrs_original_publish_time, ifNull(attrs_is_republished, 0) AS attrs_is_republished, ifNull(attrs_nr_words, 0) AS attrs_nr_words, ifNull(attrs_boilerpipe_nr_words, 0) AS attrs_boilerpipe_nr_words, ifNull(body_ext_links_number, 0) AS body_ext_links_number, ifNull(body_int_links_number, 0) AS body_int_links_number, ifNull(meta_nofollow, 0) AS meta_nofollow, ifNull(meta_noarchive, 0) AS meta_noarchive, ifNull(props_was_rendered, 0) AS props_was_rendered, ifNull(src_redirect, \'\') AS src_redirect, ifNull(download_time_msec, 0) AS download_time_msec, ifNull(download_ttfb_msec, 0) AS download_ttfb_msec, ifNull(download_size, 0) AS download_size FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.businessinsider.com/996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.businessinsider.com/996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7","crawl_time":1776391097,"first_indexed_time":1627124891,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,businessinsider!www,\/996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7 s443","src_root_hash":"15170859634011428381","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"996 Work, Criticized for Ruining Work-Life Balance, Explained - Business Insider","meta_descriptions":["The 72-hour work week is favored among fast-growing Chinese tech companies, but workers and experts say it isn't worth the toll it takes on employees."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"By\nAlibaba, a Chinese e-commerce giant, is one of many companies criticized for its grueling work culture.\nThomas Peter\/Reuters\nJul 24, 2021, 11:04 AM GMT\nThe 996 schedule compels employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.\nThe schedule is widespread in China, especially among tech companies in China's Silicon Valley.\nChinese workers have blasted the policy on social media for ruining their personal lives. \nSee more stories on Insider's business page\n.\nThe brutal work schedule known as the \"996\" has been blamed for making work-life balance impossible, causing unnecessary stress, and even killing workers at some of China's leading tech companies.\nThis unwritten rule of many Chinese workplaces has been championed by tech leaders and denounced by workers and activists for years. Here's what you need to know about the infamous \"996.\"\nWhat is 996 work culture?\nThe \"996,\" a work schedule which encourages or coerces employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, is common among Chinese tech companies and startups. Though the\npractice is technically prohibited by Chinese law\n, many companies still enforce the hours informally or formally. \n\"\nWorking overtime is now normal\n,\" a blogger on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter, said. \"What's even more scary is that so many young people are already used to this and don't dare to protest because they know even if they do, it will be useless.\"\n'We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money'? How does 996 affect Chinese workers?\nFor young tech workers, the grinding work schedule means\nmore burnout and less time for basics like sleep, sex, or a personal life\n, according to the South China Morning Post.\nAn activist group created the project \"996.ICU\" on Github in early 2019, where\ncritics listed examples of unreasonable overtime work and blacklisted companies accused of engaging in the practice\nand whitelisted companies with more humane hours, Reuters reported.\nFuror over the \"996\" was reignited in December, 2019, after a 22-year-old working at Pinduoduo, an e-commerce company,\ncollapsed and died\non the streets of Urumqi, China, after leaving work at 1:30 a.m. The woman was seen in China as another victim of an extreme culture of overworking, and outrage flared on Chinese social media. \n\"This way of working is very harmful for the human body, we've heard a lot of news about deaths from working overtime in recent years, but this deformed overtime system still prevails,\" one blogger said.\n\"We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money?\"\nWho supports this schedule?\nWell, many Chinese tech CEOs for one. \nAlibaba CEO Jack Ma, who rose from poverty to become one of China's richest men,\nis one of the most fervent supporters of 996, calling the hectic schedule a \"huge blessing\" for young professionals\n. \"If you find a job you like, the 996 problem does not exist,\" he said. \"If you're not passionate about it, every minute of going to work is a torment.\"\nRichard Liu, CEO of Chinese ecommerce company JD.com, agreed with Ma's statement,\nstating on his WeChat feed that \"slackers aren't my brothers!\n\"\nBut it's not just Chinese leaders who defend long hours —\nElon Musk believes that people looking to make an impact on the world should work 80 to 100 hours a week,\nsaying \"nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week.\"\nIs this policy actually effective?\nResearch has shown that\nshorter work weeks are often more productive and that people struggle to concentrate on their tasks for long hours\n. Sleep deprivation has also been\nlinked to cancer, weight gain and memory problems\n. \nDo you have a 996 work culture story to share? Email the reporter of this story from a non-work email at hschlitz@insider.com\nChina\nElon Musk\nTech\nMore\nRead next","attrs_markdown":"[Subscribe](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/subscription)\n\n[Newsletters](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/subscription\/newsletter)\n\n[Business](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/business)\n\n[Strategy](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/strategy)\n\n[Economy](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/economy)\n\n[Finance](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/finance)\n\n[Retail](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/retail)\n\n[Advertising](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/advertising)\n\n[Careers](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/careers)\n\n[Law](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/law)\n\n[Media](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/media)\n\n[Real Estate](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/real-estate)\n\n[Small Business](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/smallbusiness)\n\n[The Better Work 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Österreich](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.de\/?IR=C)\n\n[España](https:\/\/businessinsider.es\/)\n\n[Japan](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.jp\/)\n\n[Polska](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com.pl\/?IR=C)\n\n[TW 全球中文版](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.tw\/)\n\n[Get the app](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/app \"Get the Business Insider app\")\n\n[Tech](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/tech)\n\n# This is 996 culture, a grueling 72-hour work week popular in China that's been criticized for ruining work-life balance\nBy   [Heather Schlitz](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/author\/heather-schlitz)\n\n![man walks past alibaba logo at headquarters](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/60fb2a4428e2cf0018905320?width=700)\n\nAlibaba, a Chinese e-commerce giant, is one of many companies criticized for its grueling work culture.  Thomas Peter\/Reuters\n\nJul 24, 2021, 11:04 AM GMT\n\nShare\n\nCopy link\n\n[Email](<mailto:?subject=This is 996 culture, a grueling 72-hour work week popular in China that's been criticized for ruining work-life balance&body=This%20is%20996%20culture%2C%20a%20grueling%2072-hour%20work%20week%20popular%20in%20China%20that's%20been%20criticized%20for%20ruining%20work-life%20balance%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2F996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7&> \"Email\")\n\nFacebook\n\nWhatsApp\n\nX\n\nLinkedIn\n\nBluesky\n\nThreads\n\nAn icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.\n\nImpact Link\n\nSave Saved\n\n[Read in app](https:\/\/insider-app.onelink.me\/4cpG\/?af_js_web=true&af_ss_ver=2_3_0&af_dp=insider%3A%2F%2Fbi%2Fpost%2F996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7&af_force_deeplink=true&is_retargeting=true&deep_link_value=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2F996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7&pid=businessinsider&c=post_page_share_bar_v2_smart_4.13.23 \"Download the app\")\n\n- The 996 schedule compels employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.\n- The schedule is widespread in China, especially among tech companies in China's Silicon Valley.\n- Chinese workers have blasted the policy on social media for ruining their personal lives.\n- [See more stories on Insider's business page](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/?hprecirc-bullet).\n\nThe brutal work schedule known as the \"996\" has been blamed for making work-life balance impossible, causing unnecessary stress, and even killing workers at some of China's leading tech companies.\n\nThis unwritten rule of many Chinese workplaces has been championed by tech leaders and denounced by workers and activists for years. Here's what you need to know about the infamous \"996.\"\n\n### **What is 996 work culture?**\nThe \"996,\" a work schedule which encourages or coerces employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, is common among Chinese tech companies and startups. Though the [practice is technically prohibited by Chinese law](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/jack-ma-defends-his-996-workweek-but-productivity-experts-disagree-2019-4), many companies still enforce the hours informally or formally.\n\n\"[Working overtime is now normal](https:\/\/baijiahao.baidu.com\/s?id=1695012904666880514&wfr=spider&for=pc),\" a blogger on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter, said. \"What's even more scary is that so many young people are already used to this and don't dare to protest because they know even if they do, it will be useless.\"\n\n### **'We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money'? How does 996 affect Chinese workers?**\nFor young tech workers, the grinding work schedule means [more burnout and less time for basics like sleep, sex, or a personal life](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/tech-workers-in-chinas-silicon-valley-face-burnout-before-30-2019-3), according to the South China Morning Post.\n\nAn activist group created the project \"996.ICU\" on Github in early 2019, where [critics listed examples of unreasonable overtime work and blacklisted companies accused of engaging in the practice](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/rare-overtime-protest-by-china-tech-workers-goes-viral-2019-4) and whitelisted companies with more humane hours, Reuters reported.\n\nFuror over the \"996\" was reignited in December, 2019, after a 22-year-old working at Pinduoduo, an e-commerce company, [collapsed and died](https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2021-01-04\/pinduoduo-worker-s-death-renews-scrutiny-of-996-work-culture?sref=BWbpWjRm) on the streets of Urumqi, China, after leaving work at 1:30 a.m. The woman was seen in China as another victim of an extreme culture of overworking, and outrage flared on Chinese social media.\n\n\"This way of working is very harmful for the human body, we've heard a lot of news about deaths from working overtime in recent years, but this deformed overtime system still prevails,\" one blogger said. [\"We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money?\"](https:\/\/baijiahao.baidu.com\/s?id=1695012904666880514&wfr=spider&for=pc)\n\n### **Who supports this schedule?**\nWell, many Chinese tech CEOs for one.\n\nAlibaba CEO Jack Ma, who rose from poverty to become one of China's richest men, [is one of the most fervent supporters of 996, calling the hectic schedule a \"huge blessing\" for young professionals](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/alibaba-billionaire-jack-ma-supports-996-gruelling-work-hours-in-china-2019-4). \"If you find a job you like, the 996 problem does not exist,\" he said. \"If you're not passionate about it, every minute of going to work is a torment.\"\n\nRichard Liu, CEO of Chinese ecommerce company JD.com, agreed with Ma's statement, [stating on his WeChat feed that \"slackers aren't my brothers\\!](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/alibaba-billionaire-jack-ma-supports-996-gruelling-work-hours-in-china-2019-4)\"\n\nBut it's not just Chinese leaders who defend long hours — [Elon Musk believes that people looking to make an impact on the world should work 80 to 100 hours a week,](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/elon-musk-nobody-changed-world-40-hours-a-week-not-true-2018-11?r=US&IR=T) saying \"nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week.\"\n\n### **Is this policy actually effective?**\nResearch has shown that [shorter work weeks are often more productive and that people struggle to concentrate on their tasks for long hours](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/jack-ma-defends-his-996-workweek-but-productivity-experts-disagree-2019-4). Sleep deprivation has also been [linked to cancer, weight gain and memory problems](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/sleep-deprivation-effects-on-your-body-brain-2018-8#sleepiness-leads-to-irritability-9).\n\n*Do you have a 996 work culture story to share? 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In addition, you accept Insider’s [Terms of Service](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/terms) and [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/privacy-policy).","attrs_readable_markdown":"By\n\n![man walks past alibaba logo at headquarters](https:\/\/i.insider.com\/60fb2a4428e2cf0018905320?width=700)\n\nAlibaba, a Chinese e-commerce giant, is one of many companies criticized for its grueling work culture.  Thomas Peter\/Reuters\n\nJul 24, 2021, 11:04 AM GMT\n\n- The 996 schedule compels employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.\n- The schedule is widespread in China, especially among tech companies in China's Silicon Valley.\n- Chinese workers have blasted the policy on social media for ruining their personal lives.\n- [See more stories on Insider's business page](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/?hprecirc-bullet).\n\nThe brutal work schedule known as the \"996\" has been blamed for making work-life balance impossible, causing unnecessary stress, and even killing workers at some of China's leading tech companies.\n\nThis unwritten rule of many Chinese workplaces has been championed by tech leaders and denounced by workers and activists for years. Here's what you need to know about the infamous \"996.\"\n\n### **What is 996 work culture?**\nThe \"996,\" a work schedule which encourages or coerces employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, is common among Chinese tech companies and startups. Though the [practice is technically prohibited by Chinese law](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/jack-ma-defends-his-996-workweek-but-productivity-experts-disagree-2019-4), many companies still enforce the hours informally or formally.\n\n\"[Working overtime is now normal](https:\/\/baijiahao.baidu.com\/s?id=1695012904666880514&wfr=spider&for=pc),\" a blogger on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter, said. \"What's even more scary is that so many young people are already used to this and don't dare to protest because they know even if they do, it will be useless.\"\n\n### **'We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money'? How does 996 affect Chinese workers?**\nFor young tech workers, the grinding work schedule means [more burnout and less time for basics like sleep, sex, or a personal life](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/tech-workers-in-chinas-silicon-valley-face-burnout-before-30-2019-3), according to the South China Morning Post.\n\nAn activist group created the project \"996.ICU\" on Github in early 2019, where [critics listed examples of unreasonable overtime work and blacklisted companies accused of engaging in the practice](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/rare-overtime-protest-by-china-tech-workers-goes-viral-2019-4) and whitelisted companies with more humane hours, Reuters reported.\n\nFuror over the \"996\" was reignited in December, 2019, after a 22-year-old working at Pinduoduo, an e-commerce company, [collapsed and died](https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/articles\/2021-01-04\/pinduoduo-worker-s-death-renews-scrutiny-of-996-work-culture?sref=BWbpWjRm) on the streets of Urumqi, China, after leaving work at 1:30 a.m. The woman was seen in China as another victim of an extreme culture of overworking, and outrage flared on Chinese social media.\n\n\"This way of working is very harmful for the human body, we've heard a lot of news about deaths from working overtime in recent years, but this deformed overtime system still prevails,\" one blogger said. [\"We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money?\"](https:\/\/baijiahao.baidu.com\/s?id=1695012904666880514&wfr=spider&for=pc)\n\n### **Who supports this schedule?**\nWell, many Chinese tech CEOs for one.\n\nAlibaba CEO Jack Ma, who rose from poverty to become one of China's richest men, [is one of the most fervent supporters of 996, calling the hectic schedule a \"huge blessing\" for young professionals](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/alibaba-billionaire-jack-ma-supports-996-gruelling-work-hours-in-china-2019-4). \"If you find a job you like, the 996 problem does not exist,\" he said. \"If you're not passionate about it, every minute of going to work is a torment.\"\n\nRichard Liu, CEO of Chinese ecommerce company JD.com, agreed with Ma's statement, [stating on his WeChat feed that \"slackers aren't my brothers\\!](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/alibaba-billionaire-jack-ma-supports-996-gruelling-work-hours-in-china-2019-4)\"\n\nBut it's not just Chinese leaders who defend long hours — [Elon Musk believes that people looking to make an impact on the world should work 80 to 100 hours a week,](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/elon-musk-nobody-changed-world-40-hours-a-week-not-true-2018-11?r=US&IR=T) saying \"nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week.\"\n\n### **Is this policy actually effective?**\nResearch has shown that [shorter work weeks are often more productive and that people struggle to concentrate on their tasks for long hours](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/jack-ma-defends-his-996-workweek-but-productivity-experts-disagree-2019-4). Sleep deprivation has also been [linked to cancer, weight gain and memory problems](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/sleep-deprivation-effects-on-your-body-brain-2018-8#sleepiness-leads-to-irritability-9).\n\n*Do you have a 996 work culture story to share? Email the reporter of this story from a non-work email at hschlitz@insider.com*\n\n- [China](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/category\/china \"China\")\n- [Elon Musk](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/category\/elon-musk \"Elon Musk\")\n- [Tech](https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/category\/tech \"Tech\")\n- More\n\nRead next","meta_canonical":null,"ml_categories_json":"{\"\/Jobs_and_Education\":503,\"\/Jobs_and_Education\/Jobs\":503,\"\/Jobs_and_Education\/Jobs\/Career_Resources_and_Planning\":400,\"\/Business_and_Industrial\":300,\"\/News\":292,\"\/Business_and_Industrial\/Business_Operations\":286,\"\/News\/Business_News\":270,\"\/News\/Business_News\/Company_News\":250,\"\/People_and_Society\":218,\"\/People_and_Society\/Social_Issues_and_Advocacy\":207,\"\/People_and_Society\/Social_Issues_and_Advocacy\/Work_and_Labor_Issues\":207,\"\/Law_and_Government\":149,\"\/Law_and_Government\/Legal\":136,\"\/Law_and_Government\/Legal\/Labor_and_Employment_Law\":136,\"\/Business_and_Industrial\/Business_Operations\/Human_Resources\":129}","ml_types_json":"{\"\/Article\":999,\"\/Article\/News_Update\":941}","ml_intent_types_json":"{\"Informational\":999}","meta_language":"en-us","attrs_author":null,"attrs_publish_time":0,"attrs_original_publish_time":1627124891,"attrs_is_republished":0,"attrs_nr_words":"1029","attrs_boilerpipe_nr_words":"657","body_ext_links_number":39,"body_int_links_number":101,"meta_nofollow":0,"meta_noarchive":0,"props_was_rendered":1,"src_redirect":"","download_time_msec":277,"download_ttfb_msec":259,"download_size":56471}

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996 Work, Criticized for Ruining Work-Life Balance, Explained - Business Insider

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By Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce giant, is one of many companies criticized for its grueling work culture. Thomas Peter/Reuters Jul 24, 2021, 11:04 AM GMT The 996 schedule compels employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. The schedule is widespread in China, especially among tech companies in China's Silicon Valley. Chinese workers have blasted the policy on social media for ruining their personal lives. See more stories on Insider's business page . The brutal work schedule known as the "996" has been blamed for making work-life balance impossible, causing unnecessary stress, and even killing workers at some of China's leading tech companies. This unwritten rule of many Chinese workplaces has been championed by tech leaders and denounced by workers and activists for years. Here's what you need to know about the infamous "996." What is 996 work culture? The "996," a work schedule which encourages or coerces employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, is common among Chinese tech companies and startups. Though the practice is technically prohibited by Chinese law , many companies still enforce the hours informally or formally. " Working overtime is now normal ," a blogger on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter, said. "What's even more scary is that so many young people are already used to this and don't dare to protest because they know even if they do, it will be useless." 'We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money'? How does 996 affect Chinese workers? For young tech workers, the grinding work schedule means more burnout and less time for basics like sleep, sex, or a personal life , according to the South China Morning Post. An activist group created the project "996.ICU" on Github in early 2019, where critics listed examples of unreasonable overtime work and blacklisted companies accused of engaging in the practice and whitelisted companies with more humane hours, Reuters reported. Furor over the "996" was reignited in December, 2019, after a 22-year-old working at Pinduoduo, an e-commerce company, collapsed and died on the streets of Urumqi, China, after leaving work at 1:30 a.m. The woman was seen in China as another victim of an extreme culture of overworking, and outrage flared on Chinese social media. "This way of working is very harmful for the human body, we've heard a lot of news about deaths from working overtime in recent years, but this deformed overtime system still prevails," one blogger said. "We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money?" Who supports this schedule? Well, many Chinese tech CEOs for one. Alibaba CEO Jack Ma, who rose from poverty to become one of China's richest men, is one of the most fervent supporters of 996, calling the hectic schedule a "huge blessing" for young professionals . "If you find a job you like, the 996 problem does not exist," he said. "If you're not passionate about it, every minute of going to work is a torment." Richard Liu, CEO of Chinese ecommerce company JD.com, agreed with Ma's statement, stating on his WeChat feed that "slackers aren't my brothers! " But it's not just Chinese leaders who defend long hours — Elon Musk believes that people looking to make an impact on the world should work 80 to 100 hours a week, saying "nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week." Is this policy actually effective? Research has shown that shorter work weeks are often more productive and that people struggle to concentrate on their tasks for long hours . Sleep deprivation has also been linked to cancer, weight gain and memory problems . Do you have a 996 work culture story to share? Email the reporter of this story from a non-work email at hschlitz@insider.com China Elon Musk Tech More Read next

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Thomas Peter/Reuters Jul 24, 2021, 11:04 AM GMT Share Copy link [Email](<mailto:?subject=This is 996 culture, a grueling 72-hour work week popular in China that's been criticized for ruining work-life balance&body=This%20is%20996%20culture%2C%20a%20grueling%2072-hour%20work%20week%20popular%20in%20China%20that's%20been%20criticized%20for%20ruining%20work-life%20balance%0D%0A%0D%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2F996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7&> "Email") Facebook WhatsApp X LinkedIn Bluesky Threads An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Impact Link Save Saved [Read in app](https://insider-app.onelink.me/4cpG/?af_js_web=true&af_ss_ver=2_3_0&af_dp=insider%3A%2F%2Fbi%2Fpost%2F996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7&af_force_deeplink=true&is_retargeting=true&deep_link_value=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.businessinsider.com%2F996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7&pid=businessinsider&c=post_page_share_bar_v2_smart_4.13.23 "Download the app") - The 996 schedule compels employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. - The schedule is widespread in China, especially among tech companies in China's Silicon Valley. - Chinese workers have blasted the policy on social media for ruining their personal lives. - [See more stories on Insider's business page](https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet). The brutal work schedule known as the "996" has been blamed for making work-life balance impossible, causing unnecessary stress, and even killing workers at some of China's leading tech companies. This unwritten rule of many Chinese workplaces has been championed by tech leaders and denounced by workers and activists for years. Here's what you need to know about the infamous "996." ### **What is 996 work culture?** The "996," a work schedule which encourages or coerces employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, is common among Chinese tech companies and startups. Though the [practice is technically prohibited by Chinese law](https://www.businessinsider.com/jack-ma-defends-his-996-workweek-but-productivity-experts-disagree-2019-4), many companies still enforce the hours informally or formally. "[Working overtime is now normal](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1695012904666880514&wfr=spider&for=pc)," a blogger on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter, said. "What's even more scary is that so many young people are already used to this and don't dare to protest because they know even if they do, it will be useless." ### **'We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money'? How does 996 affect Chinese workers?** For young tech workers, the grinding work schedule means [more burnout and less time for basics like sleep, sex, or a personal life](https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-workers-in-chinas-silicon-valley-face-burnout-before-30-2019-3), according to the South China Morning Post. An activist group created the project "996.ICU" on Github in early 2019, where [critics listed examples of unreasonable overtime work and blacklisted companies accused of engaging in the practice](https://www.businessinsider.com/rare-overtime-protest-by-china-tech-workers-goes-viral-2019-4) and whitelisted companies with more humane hours, Reuters reported. Furor over the "996" was reignited in December, 2019, after a 22-year-old working at Pinduoduo, an e-commerce company, [collapsed and died](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-04/pinduoduo-worker-s-death-renews-scrutiny-of-996-work-culture?sref=BWbpWjRm) on the streets of Urumqi, China, after leaving work at 1:30 a.m. The woman was seen in China as another victim of an extreme culture of overworking, and outrage flared on Chinese social media. "This way of working is very harmful for the human body, we've heard a lot of news about deaths from working overtime in recent years, but this deformed overtime system still prevails," one blogger said. ["We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money?"](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1695012904666880514&wfr=spider&for=pc) ### **Who supports this schedule?** Well, many Chinese tech CEOs for one. Alibaba CEO Jack Ma, who rose from poverty to become one of China's richest men, [is one of the most fervent supporters of 996, calling the hectic schedule a "huge blessing" for young professionals](https://www.businessinsider.com/alibaba-billionaire-jack-ma-supports-996-gruelling-work-hours-in-china-2019-4). "If you find a job you like, the 996 problem does not exist," he said. "If you're not passionate about it, every minute of going to work is a torment." Richard Liu, CEO of Chinese ecommerce company JD.com, agreed with Ma's statement, [stating on his WeChat feed that "slackers aren't my brothers\!](https://www.businessinsider.com/alibaba-billionaire-jack-ma-supports-996-gruelling-work-hours-in-china-2019-4)" But it's not just Chinese leaders who defend long hours — [Elon Musk believes that people looking to make an impact on the world should work 80 to 100 hours a week,](https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-nobody-changed-world-40-hours-a-week-not-true-2018-11?r=US&IR=T) saying "nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week." ### **Is this policy actually effective?** Research has shown that [shorter work weeks are often more productive and that people struggle to concentrate on their tasks for long hours](https://www.businessinsider.com/jack-ma-defends-his-996-workweek-but-productivity-experts-disagree-2019-4). Sleep deprivation has also been [linked to cancer, weight gain and memory problems](https://www.businessinsider.com/sleep-deprivation-effects-on-your-body-brain-2018-8#sleepiness-leads-to-irritability-9). *Do you have a 996 work culture story to share? Email the reporter of this story from a non-work email at hschlitz@insider.com* ### Recommended video - [China](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/china "China") - [Elon Musk](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/elon-musk "Elon Musk") - [Tech](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/tech "Tech") - More ## Read next ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ### Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ### Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ### Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/placeholder.png) ### Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know [HOME](https://www.businessinsider.com/) [Subscribe](https://www.businessinsider.com/subscription "Subscribe") [![Business Insider](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/logos/stacked-black.svg)](https://www.businessinsider.com/ "Visit Business Insider") [![Download on the App Store](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/badges/app-store-badge.svg)](https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id554260576?mt=8) [![Get it on Google Play](<data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' viewBox='0 0 1 1'%3E%3C/svg%3E>) ![](https://www.businessinsider.com/public/assets/badges/google-play-badge.svg)](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.freerange360.mpp.businessinsider) Legal & Privacy - [Terms of Service](https://www.businessinsider.com/terms) - [Terms of Sale](https://www.businessinsider.com/terms-of-sale) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/privacy-policy) - [Accessibility](https://www.businessinsider.com/accessibility) - [Code of Ethics Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/code-of-ethics) - [Reprints & Permissions](https://www.parsintl.com/publication/business-insider/) - [Disclaimer](https://www.businessinsider.com/disclaimer) - [Advertising Policies](https://www.businessinsider.com/advertising-policies) - [Conflict of Interest Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/conflict-of-interest-policy) - [Commerce Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/commerce-policy) - [Coupons Privacy Policy](https://www.businessinsider.com/coupons-privacy-policy) - [Coupons Terms](https://www.businessinsider.com/coupons-terms) - [Cookie Settings](https://www.businessinsider.com/996-work-culture-schedule-popular-in-china-explained-2021-7) Company - [About Us](https://www.businessinsider.com/about-us) - [Careers](https://www.businessinsider.com/work-at-business-insider) - [Advertise With Us](https://advertising.businessinsider.com/) - [Contact Us](https://www.businessinsider.com/contact) - [News Tips](https://www.businessinsider.com/secure-news-tips) - [Company News](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/business-insider-press-room) - [Awards](https://www.businessinsider.com/awards) - [Masthead](https://www.businessinsider.com/masthead) Other - [Sitemap](https://www.businessinsider.com/sitemap/html/index.html) - [Stock quotes by finanzen.net](https://www.finanzen.net/) - [Corrections](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/corrections) - [Community Guidelines](https://www.businessinsider.com/community-guidelines) - [AI Use](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-business-insider-newsroom-uses-ai) International Editions - [AT](https://www.businessinsider.de/?IR=C) - [DE](https://www.businessinsider.de/?IR=C) - [ES](https://businessinsider.es/) - [JP](https://www.businessinsider.jp/) - [PL](https://www.businessinsider.com.pl/?IR=C) - [TW](https://www.businessinsider.tw/) [Copyright © 2026](https://www.businessinsider.com/terms) Insider Inc. 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Readable Markdown

By ![man walks past alibaba logo at headquarters](https://i.insider.com/60fb2a4428e2cf0018905320?width=700) Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce giant, is one of many companies criticized for its grueling work culture. Thomas Peter/Reuters Jul 24, 2021, 11:04 AM GMT - The 996 schedule compels employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. - The schedule is widespread in China, especially among tech companies in China's Silicon Valley. - Chinese workers have blasted the policy on social media for ruining their personal lives. - [See more stories on Insider's business page](https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet). The brutal work schedule known as the "996" has been blamed for making work-life balance impossible, causing unnecessary stress, and even killing workers at some of China's leading tech companies. This unwritten rule of many Chinese workplaces has been championed by tech leaders and denounced by workers and activists for years. Here's what you need to know about the infamous "996." ### **What is 996 work culture?** The "996," a work schedule which encourages or coerces employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week, is common among Chinese tech companies and startups. Though the [practice is technically prohibited by Chinese law](https://www.businessinsider.com/jack-ma-defends-his-996-workweek-but-productivity-experts-disagree-2019-4), many companies still enforce the hours informally or formally. "[Working overtime is now normal](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1695012904666880514&wfr=spider&for=pc)," a blogger on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter, said. "What's even more scary is that so many young people are already used to this and don't dare to protest because they know even if they do, it will be useless." ### **'We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money'? How does 996 affect Chinese workers?** For young tech workers, the grinding work schedule means [more burnout and less time for basics like sleep, sex, or a personal life](https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-workers-in-chinas-silicon-valley-face-burnout-before-30-2019-3), according to the South China Morning Post. An activist group created the project "996.ICU" on Github in early 2019, where [critics listed examples of unreasonable overtime work and blacklisted companies accused of engaging in the practice](https://www.businessinsider.com/rare-overtime-protest-by-china-tech-workers-goes-viral-2019-4) and whitelisted companies with more humane hours, Reuters reported. Furor over the "996" was reignited in December, 2019, after a 22-year-old working at Pinduoduo, an e-commerce company, [collapsed and died](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-04/pinduoduo-worker-s-death-renews-scrutiny-of-996-work-culture?sref=BWbpWjRm) on the streets of Urumqi, China, after leaving work at 1:30 a.m. The woman was seen in China as another victim of an extreme culture of overworking, and outrage flared on Chinese social media. "This way of working is very harmful for the human body, we've heard a lot of news about deaths from working overtime in recent years, but this deformed overtime system still prevails," one blogger said. ["We can't help but ask — is it really worth it to exchange our lives for money?"](https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1695012904666880514&wfr=spider&for=pc) ### **Who supports this schedule?** Well, many Chinese tech CEOs for one. Alibaba CEO Jack Ma, who rose from poverty to become one of China's richest men, [is one of the most fervent supporters of 996, calling the hectic schedule a "huge blessing" for young professionals](https://www.businessinsider.com/alibaba-billionaire-jack-ma-supports-996-gruelling-work-hours-in-china-2019-4). "If you find a job you like, the 996 problem does not exist," he said. "If you're not passionate about it, every minute of going to work is a torment." Richard Liu, CEO of Chinese ecommerce company JD.com, agreed with Ma's statement, [stating on his WeChat feed that "slackers aren't my brothers\!](https://www.businessinsider.com/alibaba-billionaire-jack-ma-supports-996-gruelling-work-hours-in-china-2019-4)" But it's not just Chinese leaders who defend long hours — [Elon Musk believes that people looking to make an impact on the world should work 80 to 100 hours a week,](https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-nobody-changed-world-40-hours-a-week-not-true-2018-11?r=US&IR=T) saying "nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week." ### **Is this policy actually effective?** Research has shown that [shorter work weeks are often more productive and that people struggle to concentrate on their tasks for long hours](https://www.businessinsider.com/jack-ma-defends-his-996-workweek-but-productivity-experts-disagree-2019-4). Sleep deprivation has also been [linked to cancer, weight gain and memory problems](https://www.businessinsider.com/sleep-deprivation-effects-on-your-body-brain-2018-8#sleepiness-leads-to-irritability-9). *Do you have a 996 work culture story to share? Email the reporter of this story from a non-work email at hschlitz@insider.com* - [China](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/china "China") - [Elon Musk](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/elon-musk "Elon Musk") - [Tech](https://www.businessinsider.com/category/tech "Tech") - More Read next

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