TikTok Ban Upheld; What About WeChat?
A U.S. federal appeals court has upheld a law that could see TikTok banned in the U.S. by January 19, 2025, unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, divests ownership. This is to address concerns over the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)’s potential access to users’ data. The ruling, which classifies China as a "foreign adversary," emphasizes the U.S.'s recognition of Beijing as a strategic threat to its national security. Further, it reflects a growing recognition that Chinese technology is being used as a hybrid tool of state and commercial power; enabling intelligence gathering, narrative manipulation, and the suppression of dissent.
While TikTok has been the focal point of this decision, WeChat poses an even greater risk in regards to the CCP’s transnational influence. As a "super app" deeply integrated into messaging, financial systems, and information dissemination, its capabilities make it a powerful instrument of CCP surveillance, control over the Chinese diaspora, and promotion of Beijing’s strategic ambitions, including adoption of the digital yuan. Due to the Great Firewall and other restrictions within the Mainland, many individuals with Chinese heritage or connections feel obligated to use WeChat to connect with their loved ones, unknowing of or despite the serious risks. Out of WeChat’s 1.3 billion active monthly users, 390 million are located outside of China, including 4 million in the United States. Yet, messages and other data sent over WeChat are frequently accessed by the CCP government’s surveillance and censorship apparatus, and used to uncover and target dissidents both within China and abroad. Furthermore, overseas users’ data is used to train the censorship algorithm that is then weaponized against users within China.
Although it is less widespread among non-Chinese-speaking populations compared to TikTok, the fact remains that WeChat itself is a far more threatening app in terms of its capabilities and known usage. Yet, it has drawn far less attention and direct scrutiny from world governments. While the issue is undoubtedly complicated, the threat WeChat poses cannot be overlooked. Furthermore, overseas users of WeChat must be aware of the risks they are creating not only for themselves, but for those in their communities.