WECHAT – THOU SHALT NOT!

Wechat earlier this week published 10 new rules for users who publish updates, pictures and articles on their Wechat moment’s timeline. Wechat has stated that it will now crack down on all kinds of illegal content and behaviour. It is certainly not unusual to find most of these rules on other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter touting user privacy, pornography and violence, however there are a couple that seem more geared towards censorship that protecting users.  Take a look:

1. Thou shalt not infringe on the copyright of others. Meaning parody accounts of celebrities or brands is now a no go.
2. Thou shalt not publish sexually explicit or suggestive content.
3. Thou shalt not bully or be violent. Posts about drug use, violent acts towards other, torture or killing of fauna are all prohibited.
4. Thou shalt not bet! The teaching of gambling activities or promotion of gambling events is not allowed.
5. Thou shalt not cheat others. Designed to protect users from phishing sites and scan artists.
6. Thou shalt not organise crime, prohibiting any triad style activities.
7. Thou shalt not sell Louise Vutton. There is a list of specific fake items that are not allowed to be marketed or advertised on Wechat.
8. Thou shalt not promise and not deliver. Fake adverts for contests or “miracle cure” drugs that over promise are not allowed.
9. Thou shalt not tell lies! You cannot oppose the basic principles involved in the constitution, the socialist system, endanger national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, leak state secrets, endanger national security or harm national honour and interests of the political class. Also prohibited is the posting of information that may cause social disorder.
10. Thou shalt not have to share! You cannot lure or force users to repost content in order to receive a reward.

Number 9 seems to be the silencer, as this could be pretty much applied to anything. Never the less the introduction and understanding of these rules will be important to ensure that your posts or accounts don’t come across issues with Wechat’s security team. What do you feel about these? Are they fair? Jimmy Robinson