What is "whipping-boy" in?

Question

EBay has had a tough run against Taobao since the site launched in 2004 as a free service, losing the dominant market share that it once enjoyed and suffering as the designated "foreign" e-commerce whipping-boy.

Answer 1

A whipping boy, in feudal times, was a boy of the same age but lower rank raised with a prince or nobleman as a playmate, who was whipped in his place when the young nobleman -- too high in standing to be beaten by anyone below his father, who was often unavailable -- misbehaved or slacked in his studies, as a psychological 'indirect punishment'.

In modern times, the term "whipping boy" has come to mean a scapegoat, or something that is a frequent recipient of undue pain, punishment or mistreatment, including inanimate objects

Answer 2

A Whipping Boy

Answer 3

In the days of old, young princes of royal blood would have a friend or playmate, who was also designated as the "whipping boy. Should the prince misbehave or do something, for which he should be punished by a beating or whipping, the whipping boy would get the beating or whipping, hence the name. The reason was that it was a crime to physically touch or hurt someone of royal blood.

Answer 4

I think in the sample sentence it is implied that the whipping boy was also a participant in the act. However, while there were others doing the same thing, he is the only one who is blamed and/or punished.