China’s social security system turns to WeChat for electronic ID
Government trials in 26 cities will have Tencent’s WeChat replace traditional state-issued social security cards with digital version tied to users’ accounts
WeChat, the popular mobile messaging, social media and payments platform run by Tencent Holdings, is poised to become further entrenched in everyday life in China under a new programme that adapts it as a user’s electronic social security card.
The WeChat-based electronic social security cards will enable users to provide their identification, status, payment records and other relevant information to official online inquiries about benefits and insurance coverage.
China’s social security system represents the most important public sector scheme for workers as it covers five insurance categories: pension, medical, unemployment, maternity and work-related injury.
Using WeChat as an electronic repository for all social security data in China represents another example of how the country’s hi-tech giants are gaining wider access to people’s private information through various digital services.