Is WeChat Safe?

Do you really need WeChat?

WeChat may be the most used social network in the world but only because it is used by over one billion Chinese. If you live in China, you must have WeChat. You need it to show your health code, to pay your rent, to communicate with your colleagues. It is a passport, social security card, wallet, telephone, messenger, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, etc. etc all in one APP. 

It is also legally binding and anything you say or do can and WILL be used as legal evidence in any court proceeding in China. WeChat records are a valuable resource to demonstrate what was said or not in any arbitration process in the Chinese legal system.

But what if you don't live in China? Do you really need WeChat? Unless you need an immediate response from your counterpart in China, then WhatsApp or email is more than sufficient. The problem with the latter is that in China neither of these communication methods is popular and it is very likely you will notice some delay in the response. The advantage of WeChat is that your message will be received and read immediately.

So, if you are actively involved in business with Chinese companies, I would recommend having a WeChat account as a means of immediate communication that is admissible in a Chinese court should any arbitration issues ever arise.

WeChat Web and WeChat App

WeChat Web is a browser-based access to your WeChat account, which is very convenient and does not require the installation of special software on your PC. However, there are restrictions on WeChat Web. Users under the age of 21 are not granted access to WeChat Web, and they must use the PC-based application. WeChat Web access can also be removed from the user in certain circumstances or if there are any issues with your WeChat account. Once you have lost access to WeChat Web, you will unlikely regain it. So sooner or later, you will have to install the WeChat App on your PC.

As we said before, WeChat is much more than a messaging system. For basic messaging, you will not have any noticeable security issues. The problem arises when you start to use some of the other features of the WeChat platform, such as links to articles. This is where it is possible your anti-virus will start to raise red flags. But 99% of these suspect links will be in Chinese, aimed at Chinese users, so unless you read Chinese, it is unlikely you will be clicking on many of these links. And just as you would in WhatsApp or any other messaging platform, a strong dose of common sense should protect you from clicking on most bad links.

From outside China, you may find that WeChat communications are not as fast as from within China, especially on the mobile app. In my experience, my PC slows down noticeably after prolonged use of the WeChat app. If you are a heavy-duty WeChat user, you will have the app open 24x7 on your PC, and this results in increased memory usage and sometimes other unusual behavior (screen flickers on and off, similar to the way the screen flickers when you take a screenprint). I'm not saying that WeChat is the direct culprit, but it may be something you need to bear in mind.

In my Opinion

I use WeChat nonstop. Life in China and business in China are impossible without WeChat. I use it 24x7, and if I don't have access to WeChat, I cannot enter my building, I cannot buy food, I cannot travel, I cannot do business. As a platform, I believe it is light years ahead of any other messaging platform I have ever used. 

Facebook, Google, and Apple are all chasing after WeChat, trying, hoping to become someday as ubiquitous and as complete. But with the myriad of privacy and competition regulations, I wonder if it will ever happen in the West.

WeChat is amazing, and I will not uninstall it anytime soon. But I miss the days of SMS and Phone Calls. Things seemed simpler back then.