![]() Launched by Tencent in 2011, WeChat now has more than 1.1 billion users, second only to WhatsApp and Facebook, but the company keeps users behind China's complex system of blocks, filters and human censorship known as the Great Firewall, even when they are physically in another country. banning any U.S.-based individuals or entities from doing business with Tencent, and rights activists describing it as a "prison" that keeps overseas users within reach of CCP law enforcement operations. In such cases some data necessarily will be sent to China, but this applies only to the limited set of data related to that product," the spokesperson added.Ĭoncerns have been growing for some time over overseas censorship and surveillance via WeChat, with the U.S. "As clearly outlined in our user agreement, WeChat users may voluntarily choose to use certain services operated out of China such as Official Accounts. "WeChat is the international version of Weixin and the default is that data is stored in our global operations centers such as Singapore," the spokesperson said in an e-mail to RFA. " cannot allow China’s censorship system to extend into the West and all around the world."Ī spokesperson for WeChat said critics' characterization of the arrangement in an e-mail to RFA, and that notifications to users would be updated to clarify the terms. "Western countries should consider re-evaluating WeChat as a threat to national security, data security, personal privacy and so on," Teng said. ![]() "It has also always used WeChat as a way to export its censorship beyond its borders, to the United States and other countries," he said. "The Chinese government has always used WeChat inside China as a tool to control society and censor speech, which is part and parcel its program of high-tech totalitarian control," Teng told RFA. U.S.-based legal scholar Teng Biao said WeChat's parent company Tencent is already required under China's Cybersecurity Law to assist the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with any data it says it needs, as are all of the other internet service providers and social media platforms in China. "Everything you write is still available, so it's basically sleight of hand. "So the moment you click OK, you are back in again." WeChat re-signed its agreements with all overseas users, but everything on there except for one-to-one chats have to use WeChat protocols," Liu said. It's really not that important."įaced with mounting international concern over privacy protection, WeChat said in September 2021 that it had "separated" its data storage facilities for domestic and international users, asking overseas users to re-sign the terms and conditions to keep using the app, which many people rely on to send money to people in China, make purchases in Chinese yuan, and stay in touch with friends and family.įormer Sina Weibo censor Liu Lipeng said the move was largely a cosmetic one, however. "We can actually stop using it completely, so we shouldn't let them confuse us. "Overseas Chinese have become very dependent on WeChat, but is it really that important?" she said. She said the move would likely affect large numbers of Chinese nationals and emigres living overseas. "It's becoming clear what the difference is between a democracy and a dictatorship." this message popped up, so I automatically clicked cancel," she said. ![]() ![]() The notification also reminds users that their behavior while using the app is subject to WeChat's licensing agreement and privacy policy.Ī YouTuber living in France who gave only the pseudonym Miss Crook said she was shocked to receive a French translation of the same message. 6, warning that "personal data likes, comments, browsing and search history, content uploads, etc." will be transmitted to China. The Chinese social media platform WeChat is warning users outside China that their data will be stored on servers inside the country, RFA has learned.Ī number of overseas WeChat users received a notification on Sept. ![]()
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