When it comes to popularity, WeChat is the most popular messaging application after Facebook and WhatsApp. WeChat is a Chinese-based chat application widely used for communication in and outside China. Being one of the most downloaded applications, it has over a billion active users worldwide, with approximately nine hundred million only in China. Despite its massive number of users, TikTok comes later in the list of most influential apps in China. Like other chat applications, WeChat provides features; text messaging and audio and video calls. However, it has a massive list of outstanding features that are not available provided by other applications to the users, which is the reason behind the popularity of WeChat. Despite its excellent service available to the users, there is also concern regarding its security features.
What is WeChat?
WeChat is a messaging application developed by a Chinese-based tech company “Tencent“, and was launched in 2011. The app is used for multi-purposes; it is a social media platform used to communicate with friends and family worldwide. It is used for personal and business purposes.
Features
WeChat has several excellent features; text messaging, audio and video calls. Some other tremendous features like online payment, mini-program, and gaming are also available to its users.
WeChat Pay
WeChat Pay is an online payment method via mobile phone. It provides several facilities to its users; online shopping, booking taxis and air tickets, doctor’s appointments, ordering food, online bills payment and fee, and many more. Approximately 84% of Chinese people prefer to replace cash with online payments. They consider online payment most easy via mobile phones. Currently, WeChat is operating its online payment service in 15 countries.
Safety of WeChat?
WeChat is equally safe from other messaging applications, Facebook, WhatsApp, Viber, etc., because it requires a registered mobile phone number. Moreover, it is also protected by a password or key. This means that users’ data and information on WeChat are secured until and unless users’ account information is shared with any other person.
Is WeChat Safe to Use?
More or less, every application created by Chinese tech companies lacks personal security features; end-to-end encryption, which raised concerns regarding the protection of users’ privacy and personal information. WeChat has a weak safety record. Encryption is a feature that provides protection and security to users’ data and information. WeChat conversations are not encrypted.
Users’ data while using WeChat is not secured and is subject to government censorship. Every activity including messages, comments, and audio and video calls is strictly under the surveillance of the Chinese government, and anything which does not please government is removed immediately. According to a report published by Amnesty International in 2016, on “Security Services on Instant Messaging Apps”, WeChat was ranked the lowest and was numbered 0 out of 100.
How Users’ Data Can Be Used
The company may share users’ data and information with the Chinese government and other non-governmental organizations. Data can be shared with law enforcement agencies and the judicial department of China for tracing users’ identification and criminal record. Users’ records, including users’ photos. Chinese Citizen ID number, GPS location, address, and any other information used on the device, can be used and shared for various purposes. In addition, hackers and third parties can also access users’ data, information, and privacy. In 2016, information was stolen from users’ accounts, and the data of the users was used for criminal purposes. In addition, WeChat keeps the user signed into the account even when it is closed. This risks the users’ privacy because if the users’ device is stolen or lost, anyone accessing the device can get all the data and information and use it against the users or others.
How to Use WeChat Safely
Here are some tips that might help users to protect their data against being leaked and attacked.
- Using a separate mobile device, exclusive for WeChat.
- Users’ data can also be protected by adding as less personal information as possible to the WeChat account.
- Changing privacy sitting and checking regularly.
- Using VPN (Virtual Personal Network) and a strong password can also help safeguard users’ data.
- Log out and updating applications may bring safety to users’ information and privacy.
Conclusion
To conclude, WeChat is a multi-purpose messaging, payment and social media app of Chinese origin. It is one of the most commonly used apps globally, with more than a billion active users. It is easy to use, but with ease comes safety issues. It is not the most secure app as it is not end-to-end encrypted, and the data could be safer. But there are many ways through which safety can be ensured. These include not putting personal data on the app, using VPN, using a separate phone, and many more.
Muhammad Asfandyar is a lawyer having extensive experience in creative content writing, proofreading, legal and academic research writing. He can be reached at asfandyar.edw@gmail.com