Jack Ma's Disappearance is Unknown

Malak Zamzam

Technology

5th January 2021

Alibaba Spokesman declined to comment(Getty).

The Claim

The founder of Alibaba, Jack Ma, disappeared after criticizing the government.

News posted on

Emerging story

Following Jack Ma criticized China's state financial system and advocated reforms, claims doing rounds that he disappeared started circulating. Social media speculations questioning his dissapreance have been spread all over social media in the past few days. Some claimed that he went missing or ‘disappeared’ and had accusations that the Chinese government had something to do with it.

Misbar’s Analysis

According to Reuters, Alibaba’s founder has not appeared in public since the forum in Shanghai in late October where he criticized China’s regulatory system in a controversial speech that put him in conflict with officials.

He is also absent from social media, as he did not post any tweets on either of his three Twitter accounts since October.

In one of his most recent tweets, he expressed his excitement to meet the top 20 Africa's Business Heroes finalists, the contestants in his own talent show in which he was supposed to be present as a judge.

The Financial Times reported he was replaced in the final episode of the show by Alibaba’s co-founder Lucy Peng and his picture was also removed from the judging webpage.

On Monday An Alibaba spokeswoman told the news that the change was ‘due to a scheduling conflict’, declining further comment.

Jack Ma’s disappearance is valid, but there is no supporting evidence or clear details and information about his current whereabouts.