WeChat for kids is here, but is it just PR?
While most reactions to the new feature were positive, some critics raised questions about whether tech companies should blatantly target children as users. Others argued that “WeChat for kids” is just a publicity stunt, given that it’s an optional feature rather than a strict ban on underage users.
Chinese tech giant Tencent has launched a new children’s mode for WeChat, which allows parents to control their kids’ use of the messaging-and-everything app.
The special mode, which was unveiled (in Chinese) on October 2 with a limited rollout on iOS, allows parents to turn off a series of features deemed potentially harmful to underage users’ safety, including “Shake,” which connects users with strangers around the world, and “People Nearby,” which lets users chat with people who are located near them. Parents can also limit their children’s access to certain public WeChat accounts, mini games, and video libraries.
To activate the mode, a minor needs to have an active account and the regular version of WeChat installed on their phone. Once a parent turns on the mode, the app functions like a stripped-down version of WeChat with additional parental controls.
According to Yicai, a China-based news outlet focused on business and finance, Tencent had applied to trademark the kids-friendly version of WeChat back in August. In its second-quarter financial report, the firm announced developments of child-focused features with the goal of creating a safe and healthy digital environment for underage users of WeChat and other online services it offers.
WeChat has more than 1 billion users in China, and many of them are children and teenagers. Unlike American apps such as Facebook Messenger and Instagram, which prohibit users under 13 in compliance with the U.S. Child Online Privacy Protection Act, the majority of Chinese social media services don’t have minimum age restrictions on users. One exception, though, is Weibo, Sina’s microblogging platform, which set its age limit at 14 in 2018.
In China, WeChat has long been a common tool in education. Students need it to receive feedback from teachers on their assignments, and parents use it to keep abreast of children’s school performance and communicate with teachers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, with children out of school and online learning adopted by many schools, many Chinese parents softened their limits on their kids’ access to technology, especially messaging services like WeChat. But the increase in social media use among minors has also prompted widespread calls for internet companies to ensure that minors have a safe online experience.
While most reactions to the new feature were positive, some critics raised questions about whether tech companies should blatantly target children as users. Citing concerns about the addictive power of social media and WeChat’s failure to protect users’ privacy, some have argued (in Chinese) that “WeChat for kids” is a publicity stunt, given that it’s an optional feature rather than a strict ban on underage users.
