WeChat joins Weibo to display location when users post on public accounts, as it complies with efforts to censor rumours and content deemed harmful

  • The measure is to maintain ‘internet order and crack down on rumours’, WeChat said
  • China’s most popular online platforms have all implemented the location display functions, covering well over a billion internet users

WeChat will display the publisher’s location based on their IP address alongside news posts on WeChat Public Accounts. Photo: Shutterstock

WeChat, China’s most popular app with over 1.2 billion users, will start displaying user locations when a person publishes content on public accounts, making it the latest Chinese social media platform to sign up to tightened censorship following a similar move by Weibo.

WeChat will display the publisher’s location based on their IP address alongside news posts on WeChat public accounts, and the function cannot be turned off by users. Other major social apps implemented the change last week.
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