State Grid WeChat ID

Will WeChat replace state IDs?

WeChat will issue virtual ID cards, which individuals would use in lieu of physical state-issued ID cards. Since WeChat requires users to register with their real names per government policy, it’s not a stretch to imagine that one day, WeChat may fully replace state IDs.

Will WeChat become China's electronic ID system?

WeChat’s transition to an electronic ID system is a “predictable evolution” Now WeChat is poised to become China’s electronic ID system, state-run Xinhua reported in December. WeChat will issue virtual ID cards, which individuals would use in lieu of physical state-issued ID cards.

Does WeChat have a privacy policy?

Tencent scored a zero out of 100 for WeChat’s lack of freedom of speech protection and lack of end-to-end encryption in a 2016 Amnesty International report on user privacy. Tencent doesn’t disclose when the government requests user data and gives no detail about the kind of encryption, if any, it employs.

Does WeChat protect users from government surveillance?

WeChat has a reputation for being heavily monitored, despite Tencent’s attempts to convince users to “rest assured, respecting user privacy has always been one of WeChat’s most important principles.” But even if the company says otherwise, on a technical level, it doesn’t offer users much protection against government surveillance.

Is WeChat becoming harder and harder for users to opt out?

“WeChat becomes harder and harder for its users to opt out,” says Yuhua Wang, a former Shanghai resident who wrote a piece called “How WeChat grows into a huge part of our life,” for USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

Does Tencent have a WeChat app store?

Last year, Tencent added mini-apps to WeChat, creating an app store of sorts: inside WeChat, you can play games, pay bills, find local hangouts, book doctor appointments, file police reports, hail taxis, hold video conferences, and access bank services.