Category:WeChat: Difference between revisions

'''WeChat''' is a Chinese multi-purpose [[Wikipedia:messaging apps|messaging]], [[Wikipedia:social media|social media]] and [[Wikipedia:mobile payment|mobile payment]] [[Wikipedia:mobile app|app]] developed by [[Wikipedia:Tencent|Tencent]]. It was first released in 2011, and became one of the world's largest standalone mobile apps in 2018,<ref>[http://www.techinasia.com/messaging-apps-should-reveal-monthly-active-users/ It's time for messaging apps to quit the bullshit numbers and tell us how many users are active]. techinasia.com. January 23, 2014. Steven Millward.</ref><ref name = TheEconomist>{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/news/business/21703428-chinas-wechat-shows-way-social-medias-future-wechats-world|title=WeChat's world|last=|first=|date=2016-08-16|work=|newspaper=The Economist|issn=0013-0613|accessdate=2016-08-08|via=}}</ref> with over 1 billion [[Wikipedia:monthly active users|monthly active users]].<ref>{{cite news|title=WeChat now has over 1 billion active monthly users worldwide · TechNode|url=https://technode.com/2018/03/05/wechat-1-billion-users/|work=TechNode|date=5 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Tencent’s Profit Is Better Than Expected|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-15/tencent-s-profit-beats-as-ad-sales-growth-complements-gaming|work=Bloomberg.com|date=15 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=WeChat users pass 900 million as app becomes integral part of Chinese lifestyle|url=http://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/11/15/wechat-users-pass-900-million-app-becomes-integral-part-chinese-lifestyle|work=The Drum|language=en}}</ref> WeChat has been described as [[Wikipedia:China|China's]] "app for everything" and a "super app" because of its wide range of functions.<ref>{{cite news|title=Huge Rounds, Heated Competition: How Tencent & Alibaba Are Defining VC In China - Crunchbase News|url=https://news.crunchbase.com/news/huge-rounds-heated-competition-tencent-alibaba-defining-vc-china/|work=Crunchbase News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=WeChat touts success of 580,000 ‘mini-programs’ now in use|url=https://america.cgtn.com/2018/01/15/wechat-mini-programs-open-class-pro-2018|work=CGTN America|date=16 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=How WeChat Became China’s App For Everything|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3065255/china-wechat-tencent-red-envelopes-and-social-money|work=Fast Company|date=2 January 2017}}</ref> Due to its popularity, user activity on WeChat is used for [[Wikipedia:mass surveillance in China|mass surveillance in China]].<ref name="Wired surveillance">{{cite news|first1=Isobel|last1=Cockerell|accessdate=2019-06-22|title=Inside China's Massive Surveillance Operation|url=https://www.wired.com/story/inside-chinas-massive-surveillance-operation/|newspaper=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]]|date=9 May 2019|issn=1059-1028}}</ref><ref name="WSJ surveillance">{{cite web|first1=Eva|last1=Dou|accessdate=2019-06-22|title=Jailed for a Text: China's Censors Are Spying on Mobile Chat Groups|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/jailed-for-a-text-chinas-censors-are-spying-on-mobile-chat-groups-1512665007|website=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|date=Dec 8, 2017}}</ref><ref name="BBC surveillance">{{cite news|first1=Stephen|last1=McDonell|accessdate=2019-06-22|title=WeChat and the Surveillance State|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-china-blog-48552907|date=7 June 2019|website=[[BBC]]}}</ref> WeChat also [[Wikipedia:Internet censorship in China|censors politically sensitive topics in China]].<ref name="citation1">{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2011/06/03/china-world-leader-internet-censorship|title=China: World Leader of Internet Censorship|date=June 3, 2011|website=[[Human Rights Watch]]}}</ref><ref name="citation2">{{cite web|url=https://qz.com/960948/what-happens-when-you-try-to-send-politically-sensitive-messages-on-wechat/|title=What happens when you try to send politically sensitive messages on WeChat|last=Sonnad|first=Nikki|date=April 17, 2017|website=[[Quartz (publication)]]}}</ref><ref name="citation3">{{cite web |url=https://www.techinasia.com/china-wechat-censoring-users-globally |title=Now China's WeChat App is Censoring Its Users Globally |last=Millward |first=Steven |date=January 10, 2013 |website=Tech in Asia |accessdate=December 12, 2017}}</ref><ref name="citation4">{{cite web|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/01/11/china_censors_beyond_borders/ |title=China censors chat users outside China |last=Muncaster |first=Phil |date=January 11, 2013 |website=[[The Register]] |accessdate=December 12, 2017}}</ref>