The New York Times published a lengthy report on Monday exposing WeChat as the ubiquitous surveillance and propaganda tool of the Chinese Communist Party.
For most Chinese in China, the report says, WeChat is an all-in-one application that allows them to exchange stories, chat with old classmates, pay bills, contact colleagues, post photos of glamorous vacations, shop, and get news. For millions of Chinese in the diaspora, it’s a bridge that connects them with symbols of home, from family chats to food photos.
But running through all of this is an unprecedented level of surveillance and propaganda by the Chinese Communist Party. As WeChat has become widespread, it has become a powerful tool of social control, a way for Chinese authorities to direct and regulate what people say, with whom they say it, and what they see.
The report notes that WeChat has even allowed Beijing’s influence to extend beyond its borders. When the secret police issue threats abroad, they often do so on WeChat. Court documents show that military researchers working secretly in the United States used WeChat when they needed to contact the Chinese Embassy. Party members also used WeChat to coordinate when they studied abroad.
As a cornerstone of Chinese state surveillance, WeChat is now considered a threat to U.S. national security, according to the report’s analysis. The Trump administration has proposed banning WeChat directly, along with the Chinese short video app TikTok, precisely because the White House is aware of its role as a tool of CCP surveillance and propaganda.
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