360 Group founder Zhou Hongyi suffered a fractured left knee after accidentally falling while bouldering on October 10, 2026, sparking public attention. Zhou, known for his involvement in controversies related to internet surveillance in China, has been a frequent subject of public discussion in recent years.
On October 11, 2026, Zhou Hongyi, the founder of 360 Group, released a video detailing a “particularly unlucky incident” he encountered. He mentioned that during his bouldering activity at a height of about 3 meters on October 10, he accidentally fell, resulting in a severe fracture of his left knee.
According to Zhou Hongyi’s account, he slipped and fell during the bouldering process at a height of about 3 meters. Upon landing, he failed to land properly, causing his left leg to bear the full impact. He heard a strange noise from his knee upon landing and immediately lost mobility in his left leg.
Zhou Hongyi stated that due to his injury, all business trips and outdoor activities for the next two to three months will be canceled. He will need to wear a knee brace and rest at home for the next month, with all relevant schedules adjusted. Reflecting on the incident, he expressed that extreme sports like bouldering pose significant risks for older individuals. “It’s quite uncomfortable. I just turned 56 recently, and I’m not sure if there will be any long-term effects. Will I still be able to play soccer, tennis, or lift weights in the gym?”
This video triggered heated discussions online, with some netizens commenting, “Even the guardian of 360 Security Wizard couldn’t protect the Red Bishop himself.” Others humorously speculated, “Was his finger weakened from being caught in a car door last time, making it difficult for him to climb?”
In July 30, 2024, Zhou Hongyi encountered an accident while experiencing a domestic electric car brand. Despite being told by on-site staff about the safety features of the scissor doors that prevent finger jamming, Zhou ended up getting his hand caught as the door closed, resulting in a painful cry on the spot.
In recent years, Zhou Hongyi has been repeatedly at the center of public attention. In June 2023, he became involved in a high-profile divorce case as a founder of a listed company in A-share market, where he transferred 4.465 billion shares (approximately 6.25% of the total shares) to his ex-wife, valued at nearly 7 billion yuan, attracting widespread public interest.
On December 16, 2025, former senior vice president of 360 Group, Yu Hong, accused the company’s gaming business of “falsifying accounts by billions” on social media, claiming to have evidence of financial data manipulation. 360 Group promptly issued a clarification notice that same evening.
Public information shows that 360 Group is a Chinese internet company founded by Zhou Hongyi in 2005, with products like 360 Security Wizard and 360 Anti-virus. According to “First Financial,” the listed entity of 360 Group is Qihoo 360 Technology Co., Ltd., with over 40 shareholders, including central enterprises, state-owned enterprises, financial institutions, and corporate giants.
In May 2020, the U.S. Department of Commerce included 360 Group and 23 other entities on the U.S. Entity List under the Export Administration Regulations. The U.S. deemed these technologies beneficial to China’s military programs and contributing to human rights violations by the Chinese government.
On June 13, 2023, 360 Group held a “360 Smart Brain Large Model Application Release Conference,” where Zhou Hongyi demonstrated the operational processes of 360’s multi-level information filtering and review system, publicly disclosing how the company uses artificial intelligence to collaborate with the Chinese authorities in monitoring online speech. However, after images of the related technical processes were leaked by netizens, sparking significant attention, they were quickly removed.
In 2012, ChinaQianlong.com reported that Qihoo 360 company (an early enterprise name of 360 Group) had joined the Great Firewall of China project. The GFW refers to a series of network censorship systems established by the Chinese government, including relevant administrative review systems.
On December 31, 2010, Chinese internet company Kingsoft Network’s CEO Fu Sheng announced via video to the media that they had received numerous user reports and obtained solid evidence that 360 had recorded users’ private information unlawfully. The recorded information included visited web pages, downloaded content, used search keywords, and even account passwords. Moreover, 360 illegally stored information of corporate users, such as financial budgets, training plans, and employee salary systems.