In this report, we show that documents and images shared among non-China-registered accounts are subject to content surveillance and are used to build up the database WeChat uses to censor China-registered accounts. These users could send and receive messages that users with China-registered accounts could not. In previous work, there was no evidence that these censorship features affected users with accounts that are not registered to China-based phone numbers. This censorship is done without notification to users and is dynamically updated, often in response to current events. WeChat implements censorship for users with accounts registered to mainland China phone numbers. Previous Citizen Lab research shows the balancing act WeChat must maintain as it attempts to keep within government red lines in China and attract users internationally. Like any other Internet platform operating in China, WeChat is expected to follow rules and regulations from Chinese authorities around prohibited content. 3 While the platform dominates the market in China, it also has made efforts to internationalize and attract users globally. WeChat is the most popular social media platform in China and third in the world. 1 Grindr, a Chinese-owned online dating platform for gay, bi, trans, and queer people, fell under suspicion that it could be used to monitor, track, or otherwise endanger American users. For example, TikTok, a video-based social media company, has been accused of censoring content on its platform that would be sensitive in China. As Chinese companies grow into markets beyond China, their activities are also coming under scrutiny. Tencent’s responses to data access requests failed to clarify how data from international users is used to enable political censorship of the platform in China.Ī significant body of research over the past decade has shown how online platforms in China are routinely censored to comply with government regulations.From public information, it is unclear how Tencent uses non-Chinese-registered users’ data to enable content blocking or which policy rationale permits the sharing of data used for blocking between international and China regions of WeChat.
Upon analysis, files deemed politically sensitive are used to invisibly train and build up WeChat’s Chinese political censorship system.Documents and images transmitted entirely among non-China-registered accounts undergo content surveillance wherein these files are analyzed for content that is politically sensitive in China.We present results from technical experiments which reveal that WeChat communications conducted entirely among non-China-registered accounts are subject to pervasive content surveillance that was previously thought to be exclusively reserved for China-registered accounts.Have questions about this report? Read our WeChat guide that provides a summary of research findings as well as questions and answers from the research team.
0 kommentar(er)
