![]() Questions and Answers from the Research Team How does censorship work on WeChat? None of these methods provided a clear rationale or description of the surveillance that we detected in the course of our experiments. We used these methods to assess if they could reveal or explain the surveillance practices we detected, and whether WeChat representatives would explain the company’s practices when directly asked about them. We analyzed WeChat’s public-facing policy documents, made personal data access requests, and sent detailed questions to Tencent data protection representatives. None of WeChat’s public-facing policy documents, personal data access requests processes, or privacy officers communicated that the company is conducting this surveillance. Content surveillance between users of accounts registered outside of China is functionally undetectable. Our research reveals that content surveillance is applied to both China-registered accounts as well as to non-China-registered accounts. In the meantime, users should be aware that this is a possibility.īoth the monitoring and censorship happen in secret, without transparency to users. We don’t know yet if chat message text is under similar surveillance. Our technical methods can only tell us if files and images shared on WeChat are under surveillance. However, in new research we show that files and images shared by WeChat users with accounts outside of China are subject to political surveillance, and this content is used to train and build up the censorship system that WeChat uses to censor China-registered users. WeChat users outside of China may think that WeChat’s political censorship and surveillance system does not affect them. ![]() In previous research, we found that censorship on WeChat is only enabled for users with accounts registered to mainland China phone numbers. WhatsApp has more users and very similar features.WeChat surveils non-China-registered accounts and uses messages from those accounts to train censorship algorithms to be used against China-registered accounts. WeChat is very similar to WhatsApp, which is one of the most popular messaging apps worldwide. Run WeChat on all mobile platforms including Android, iOS, and Blackberry. Outside of China, the uptake has been a lot slower. WeChat is based in China and very heavily used there. To recall a message, you only have 2 minutes, and it can only be the last message sent. The interface appears complicated at first. There’s even group chat via HD conferencing. Naturally, if you want a real-time chat, you can, it just needs to be via the video call feature. Press the button to record and let go when you’re done. To voice chat, it works like a walkie-talkie. ![]() ![]() Also, add new users by QR code, ID, or from your contact list. You don’t even need to be near each other for this to work. The ‘shake’ option lets you and a friend shake your phones, and you’ll be automatically added. To create an account you don’t need a user name or password, log in with your phone number or your Facebook account. It’s free to use and boasts a no-ad policy. Chat, send messages, play games, and exchange files and images across any platform. WeChat is a messaging app that is very similar to WhatsApp. They can be across the room, or across the globe. ![]() Have fun adding friends just by shaking your phones. ![]()
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