Tencent’s WeChat App Now Allows Access to Rivals’ Links

Tencent‘s popular messaging app Wechat will start allowing users to access external links from Friday, days after regulators told the company and its rivals to end a long-standing practice of blocking each other’s links.

At that time, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said that the blocking of website links without justification has seriously affected the user experience and rights and also disturbed market order.

SEE ALSO: Chinese Tech Companies Asked to Stop Blocking Access to Others’ Website Links

Tencent put forward four principles this time, that is, to prevent harm to users’ interests, including excessive access to users’ privacy, endangering network information security and data security, over-marketing, and inducing users to share links.

These measures will be implemented starting on September 17th. After upgrading to the latest version of WeChat, users will be able to access external links in one-to-one chats. However, since group links involve a large number of recipients, Tencent will continue to improve Wechat’s functions to facilitate users’ ability to access external links. Furthermore, a channel will be set up for users to report illegal behaviors.

Tencent said that WeChat will actively cooperate with other Internet platforms to carry out the MIIT’s guidance and explore the technical possibility of using WeChat services on other platforms.