Tencent says criticism of its dominance in social media is ‘groundless’ after its WeChat app blocks three rivals
- With 1 billion monthly active users, WeChat has been maintaining its stranglehold on China’s social media environment
Criticism of Tencent Holdings' dominance after it blocked three potential rival apps from its WeChat super app were “groundless”, according to private remarks by the internet giant's head of public relations that were reported by Chinese media on Thursday.
Links to three social media apps launched on Tuesday – Matong, Duoshan and Liaotianbao – were blocked from opening within WeChat’s browser for “containing unsafe content and receiving user complaints”, according to Tencent, prompting an immediate rebuke from the challengers.
“We respect rational discussion on the issue but don’t blow it out of proportion,” Tencent media spokesman Zhang Jun was quoted as saying in a private conversation, adding that the criticism against Tencent was “groundless”.
Pony Ma Huateng, co-founder and chief executive of Tencent, earlier had said privately he takes a “clear-cut stand” against anonymous social apps with “negative energy”. He was responding to a WeChat Moments post on Wednesday that referred to WeChat’s “hegemony”, a subject widely discussed by media and internet users, according to Chinese media.
A representative from WeChat said the comments by Zhang and Ma were private remarks and not meant for the public, declining to give an official statement.