Core Viewpoint - The ongoing controversy surrounding e-commerce platform competition rules during this year's Double Eleven shopping festival highlights the intense competition in the e-commerce industry and raises concerns about the dual identity of super platforms as both content and commercial entities [1][4]. Group 1: Incident Overview - The controversy began around October 20, with claims that JD.com intensified price comparison checks and imposed penalties on merchants for pricing higher than on other platforms, leading to allegations of "forced exclusivity" [1][3]. - Following these claims, topics related to JD.com's alleged practices trended on social media platforms, prompting criticism from industry figures [1][3]. - On October 28, rumors circulated that Midea was fined 5 million yuan for violating JD.com's exclusivity requirements, which again gained traction on social media [3][4]. Group 2: Responses from Involved Parties - JD.com employees clarified that their price comparison practices aimed to secure fair prices for consumers and were unrelated to the alleged exclusivity [3][4]. - Midea publicly denied the claims regarding the fine, stating that the information circulating online was false, which undermined the credibility of the rumors [3][4]. Group 3: Implications for Competition and Regulation - The incident underscores the complex dynamics of competition between JD.com and Douyin, a platform that combines e-commerce and content, raising questions about the influence of platform algorithms and content-commercial boundaries [4][5]. - Media commentary suggests that the use of content platforms for commercial competition could disrupt fair market practices, highlighting the need for clear separation between content and commercial activities [5][6]. - There are calls for proactive regulatory mechanisms to address the evolving competition landscape, including transparency in algorithm rules and stronger governance against misinformation [6][7].