Updated: 24 October 2024 Effective Date: 24 October 2024
Introduction
Since its launch in 2011, Weixin has changed the way people communicate, allowing users to keep connected and making our life easier and much more fun. Weixin is committed to providing users with a safe, secure, healthy, and convenient environment. To this end, we have formulated the "Standards of Weixin Account Usage" (hereinafter referred to as the "Standards"). Tencent will take actions against any violations according to the applicable laws and regulations and the rules provided in the service agreements, and cooperate with competent governmental authorities to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Weixin users and other entities when resolving such violations.
Security and Compliance
Weixin works to ensure the security of the platform and users and strictly abides by applicable laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China and Tencent's platform rules to guarantee that any content posted on the platform is in compliance with laws and regulations. Any content that involves terror, violence, lewd content and gambling, that endangers national security, that infringes on the legitimate rights of other users, and that violates laws and regulations are forbidden on Weixin.
Use in Good Faith
Weixin strives to create a friendly cyber environment that allows users to interact with each other in good faith. Designed as a simple, easy-to-use and convenient communication tool, Weixin puts great trust in users and believes that users will use the tool in good faith. Therefore, Weixin advocates "Use in Good Faith" and does not permit any malicious behaviors that damage the legitimate rights and interests of others by using Weixin.
Honesty and Responsibility
Every user shall be honest and credible and be responsible for all the content they post on the platform. Weixin connects users by providing a channel for communication and sharing content. Only if you are honest and responsible can all users interact with each other in a friendly, safe, healthy and clean environment. Weixin does not permit any fraudulent, false, untrue, or misleading information.
Clarity and Transparency
Weixin keeps improving the clarity of platform rules and the transparency of platform governance, and tries to inform you of the Standards using lucid and accessible language so that you can have a clear understanding of the Standards and better comply with the Standards.
In order to create a safe, secure, healthy, and clean cyber environment, please carefully read and strictly abide by the Standards.
If you find any violations or non-compliant content, you can report against the account concerned.
If you find any behavior or content that violates the Standards, you can report against the account concerned through Weixin by following the steps described in Reporting Against Non-Compliant Accounts. Upon the receipt of your report, we will verify whether the behavior or content you report against has violated laws and regulations, or the Standards.
Weixin may suspend the provision of services for the violating account or account owner and take actions against the non-compliant content according to the applicable rules.
Weixin will take actions against the accounts that violate the Standards based on the severity of violations, including discontinuing the display and sharing of the non-compliant content in Weixin, issuing warnings, or suspending such accounts' use of some or all of the features.
I. Usage Rules
Users shall not engage in any activity that affects the overall user experience, infringes on Tencent's intellectual property rights, endangers platform security, or damages the legitimate rights and interests of other users during their use of the Weixin Software. In the event of any violations of the aforesaid rules, Tencent will take appropriate actions against the non-compliant Weixin account based on the severity of the violation, and has the right to refuse to provide services to the non-compliant account owner, such as restricting the account from accessing some or all of the Weixin features, or blocking related accounts.
1. Respect intellectual property rights and software integrity
Tencent owns the intellectual property rights to the Weixin Software. During your use of the Weixin Software, you shall respect Tencent's intellectual property rights and software integrity, and shall not engage in any act that infringes on Tencent's intellectual property rights or damages the integrity of Weixin Software.
1.1 Acquire Weixin software by legal means. You shall acquire the Weixin official app version through the official Weixin website, any other official Tencent channels (such as MyApp), or third parties authorized by Tencent (such as the Apple App Store).
1.2 Use Weixin software legally. Unless permitted by law or with Tencent's written authorization, during your use of Weixin Software, you shall not:
1.2.1 Delete any information about Tencent's copyrights on Weixin Software and its copies.
1.2.2 Reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile, or otherwise attempt to access Weixin Software's source code.
1.2.3 Use, lease, lend, copy, modify, link to, repost, compile, issue, publish, or set up a mirror site for the content to which Tencent holds intellectual property rights.
1.2.4 Copy, modify, add to, or delete the data in the Weixin Software, the data released to the memory of any device, interaction data between clients and servers during the operation of Weixin Software, and the system data necessary for the operation of the Weixin Software, or create derivatives based on such data, including but not limited to using plug-ins, add-ons, or third-party tools/services not authorized by Tencent to access Weixin Software and related systems.
1.2.5 Add to, delete, or change the features or effects of the Weixin Software by modifying or falsifying the instructions or data used in the operation of Software, or operate or disseminate to the public the software and methods used for the above purposes, regardless of whether these acts are intended for business purpose.
1.2.6 Log in to or use Tencent's software and services through third-party software, plug-ins, add-ons, or systems not authorized by Tencent, or develop, release or distribute such tools.
1.2.7 Interfere with Weixin Software and its components, modules, and data by yourself or by authorizing others or third-party software.
1.2.8 Common violations include but are not limited to: use of plug-ins, add-ons, software, or systems that facilitate red-packet grabbing, that allow multiple Weixin logins, that modify Weixin skin, and that allow one-tap forwarding.
2. Register and use Weixin reasonably and in good faith
You shall register and use your Weixin account reasonably and in good faith. Malicious registration and use of Weixin account for illegal or improper purposes are strictly forbidden.
2.1 Registration through official channels. You must register a Weixin account through the official Weixin app, and must not register it through any other unofficial channels.
2.2 Registration through legitimate channels. You must register your Weixin account using a legally acquired mobile phone number. SMS verification is required for registration and a valid number shall be linked to the account. You can also register a new Weixin account using an existing Weixin account.
2.3 Malicious registration or use of Weixin account is forbidden. Malicious registration and use of Weixin account are forbidden. Any user shall not commit any act that violates laws, regulations, and the Standards by using multiple account entities or controlling multiple Weixin accounts, or maliciously bypass or break platform rules by technical means.
2.4 Common violations include but are not limited to: frequently registering or batch registering Weixin accounts, maliciously abusing multiple Weixin accounts, inducing or deceiving another user into registering Weixin accounts to help themselves log in, or maliciously registering a Weixin account for another user to help the user log in.
3. Detection of unusual access attempts and security protection
Tencent has the right to, at its sole discretion, monitor, judge, and take appropriate actions against any unusual access attempts (unusual operations such as unusual login, greetings, and unblocking) to protect user account security.
3.1 Unusual login: To protect user account security, Tencent will restrict access attempts by the accounts that have not logged in for an extended period, or have not logged in since their registration. The users of such accounts must re-activate their accounts before they can continue using the accounts normally. Activation methods include, but are not limited to, SMS verification. If you have registered a new Weixin account using an existing Weixin account, Tencent may request you to log in to the new account with the existing account to ensure your account security.
3.2 Unusual greetings: In certain scenarios, if unacceptable content (see "Content Rules" for more information) is set to be shown or sent as a greeting, or if greetings are sent at an unusual frequency or from an unusual location, Tencent will take actions against the account concerned, including but not limited to issuing a warning, restricting or suspending the use of some or all of the features, or even blocking the account permanently, and the actions taken will be made public.
3.3 Unusual unblocking: In the event of any unusual activities in account unblocking, such as submitting unblocking requests in bulk, requesting unblocking using machine instructions, submitting false information, fabricating friendships, using the third-party platform to unblock accounts, or inducing, organizing, or deceiving another user into helping with unblocking, Tencent will re-block the unblocked account or block it permanently, restrict the account that assists with unblocking of another account in violation of rules from using some or all of the Weixin features, or block such account temporarily or permanently.
3.4 Other Unusual Operations: If a user account, within a certain period, generates an unusually large amount of information or frequently performs usual activities that involve security risks or lead to the excessive use of Tencent's bandwidth resources (receiving different types of messages, participating in different interactions and comment threads, frequently sending or receiving friend requests, and frequenting joining or creating groups), Tencent will temporarily suspend update operations on the account, including but not limited to suspending the account's ability to receive new messages, add new friends, or participate in group chats, or enforce restrictions until the account status returns to normal.
4. Data acquisition and usage rules
Weixin makes every effort to protect user data security and personal privacy, and prohibits any illegal or unauthorized acquisition, use, disclosure, sharing, and tracking of user data or personal privacy information.
Tencent prohibits Weixin users from engaging in the following acts:
4.1 Disclose other people's data without consent. Copying, storing, using, or transmitting another Weixin user's data without the user's express consent, or without truthfully disclosing the purpose for which the data is used, the scope of such use, and other relevant information to the user, constituting an infringement on their legal rights.
4.2 Request others to provide and share personal information. Requesting another Weixin user to share and submit personal information (including but not limited to their mobile number, ID number, date of birth, and address) before allowing the user to use a service or engage in an activity, such as submitting personal information for fortune-telling or joining a group chat.
4.3 Use user's personal information for other purposes. Using another Weixin user's personal information such as their Weixin ID (may be displayed as "WeChat ID" in the app, the same below), name, QQ ID, mobile number, email address, and date of birth for purposes not authorized by such user or the Weixin platform.
4.4 Illegally or improperly acquire user's personal information. Attempting to acquire another Weixin user's Weixin ID, name, QQ ID, mobile number, email address, date of birth, and other personal information through searching, tracking, linking, and data mining.
II. Content Rules
A Weixin user shall abide by the Agreement on Software License and Service of Tencent Weixin, as well as any applicable laws and regulations during their use of Weixin. Tencent will take appropriate actions based on the severity of the violation against any Weixin account that is found to distribute content that violates any of the applicable requirements and rules, assist others in violations, or organize or induce others to distribute such content, and is entitled to refuse to provide services to the non-compliant account owner.
The actions include but are not limited to: restricting the display of content (hiding content, setting the content to be visible only to the poster, etc.), deleting the non-compliant content, restricting the accounts from accessing some or all of the Weixin features (such as posting Moments and using group chats), or blocking the accounts of such user.
Non-compliant content includes but is not limited to:
1. Content prohibited by laws and regulations
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share any content prohibited by laws and regulations. Strictly prohibited content needing your special attention includes the content that:
1.1 Betrays the basic principles established by the Constitution and the socialist system;
1.2 Endangers national security, leaks state secrets, subverts state power, and undermines national unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity;
1.3 Damages national honor and interests;
1.4 Incites ethnic hatred and discrimination, and undermines ethnic unity;
1.5 Undermines the national religion policies, and advocates cults and feudal superstitions;
1.6 Spreads rumors, disturbs the social order, or undermines social stability;
1.7 Disseminates obscenity, lewd content, gambling, violence or terror, or instigates crime;
1.8 Insults or slanders others, and infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of others;
1.9 Incites illegal assembly, association, protests, demonstrations, and gatherings that disrupt social order;
1.10 Promotes any activities in the name of illegal civil organizations;
1.11 Violates the "Temporary Provisions of the Development and Management of Public Information Services on Instant Messaging Tools" and other applicable laws and regulations;
1.12 Contains any other content prohibited by laws and regulations.
2. False information
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share any false information (the information generated by fabricating or distorting facts and concealing the truth without factual basis).
2.1 False information that incites national, regional, ethical, racial and inter-religion hatred, discrimination and misunderstanding, and weakens the community's morals.
For example: A magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit Japan this morning! If you are a Chinese person, spread this news!!!
2.2 False information that disrupts the social order, undermines social stability, or causes or may cause a public panic.
For example: Shock: Eating pork in China is equivalent to committing suicide!!
Please tell your friends and family to avoid eating seafood. Please forward this quickly!
2.3 False information that advocates cults and feudal superstitions.
Example 1: More dedication to "Almighty God" brings more well-being and more grace from God.
Example 2: Promoting or offering paid rituals for curses or relationship restoration.
Example 3: Promoting or posting marketing information on accessories or talismans made from corpse oil or animal remains, such as witchcraft powders or kuman thongs.
2.4 False information involving common sense and public topics.
For example: Piggy said: "Eating nine boiled eggs can prevent COVID-19!"
2.5 False information about Tencent, or information posted without official confirmation, disclosure, or permission of Tencent.
For example: Information about any new Weixin features that is posted without permission.
2.6 Other false information.
3. Lewd content or content that may be considered lewd
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share lewd, erotic, and sexually suggestive content, such as content involving sexual passion, sexual desire, sexual activities, or sexual organs that violates laws and regulations and goes against public morals, whether presented explicitly or implicitly.
3.1 Lewd content, such as content seeking sexual activities that violate laws and regulations and go against public morals, including but not limited to soliciting prostitution, high-class escort services, sugar dating, sex cams, adult performances, erotic massages, voice sex, or seeking out one-night stands.
For example: Join us if you are lonely and desire a companion (1,000 yuan one night).
3.2 Erotic content, such as content involving sexual passion, sexual desire, sexual activities, and sexual organs, including but not limited to text, audio, videos, pictures, cartoons, and stickers.
For example: The text describing the process of sexual activities and the sexual organs of the participants in detail.
3.3 Content that may be considered lewd directly or indirectly, meaning that the content implicitly carries lewd or sexual connotations and suggests lewd content or sex-related things, such as text involving sexual harassment, sex doll experience shops, used items, and sexual jokes.
4. Gambling-related content
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share information related to gambling activities, tools, or methods.
4.1 Content that invites, induces, or compels others to participate in gambling;
For example:
4.2 Content that involves the sale of gambling equipment, explains gambling rules and methods, or teaches gambling techniques, approaches, and methods.
5. Violent and criminal content
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share violent content that displays the death, injury, or abuse of themselves, others and/or animals, or information that instigates crimes.
5.1 Content involving self-abuse, self-injury, suicide, or the killing and maiming of humans or animals, as well as graphic depictions of shooting, stabbing, torture, etc.
For example: Pictures about self-abuse, self-injury, or suicide, or descriptions of the psychology, process, and results of animal cruelty.
5.2 Content that induces others to commit self-abuse, self-injury, or suicide;
For example: Encouraging someone to carve a whale pattern on their arm with a knife.
5.3 Content that instigates others to commit criminal acts.
For example: Enjoy the pleasure of dating underage girls even at the cost of the death penalty.
6. Content involving organized crime and terrorism
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share information with organized crime characteristics, such as seeking revenge on behalf of others, collecting debts for loan sharks, or organizing or inducing others to engage in terrorism, violence, or activities that disrupt social order.
6.1 Content involving acts of organized crime, such as seeking revenge on behalf of others or collecting debts for loan sharks;
For example: Advertisements like "Teaching the home wrecker a lesson for you!"
6.2 Content about hiring or inducing others to engage in terrorism, violence, and other criminal activities;
For example: Advertisements recruiting people to carry out criminal activities such as assaults, murders, kidnappings, and rapes.
6.3 Content involving activities that pose a potential threat to social order, such as forming gangs or recruiting members for such purposes.
7. Infringing content
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share information that infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of others, including infringing on personal rights (such as the right to name, portrait, privacy, reputation, and honor) or property rights (such as copyright, trademark rights, patent rights, and other intellectual property rights or trade secrets).
7.1 Entity infringement
7.1.1 Unauthorized use of another party's registered company name or trademark, infringing on their rights to the company name or exclusive trademark rights;
7.1.2 Unauthorized use of another person's name or portrait, infringing on their rights to name and portrait.
7.2 Content infringement
7.2.1 Content that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others: Content that infringes on the copyright, trademark rights, patent rights and other rights of others, such as information promoting counterfeit or pirated items;
7.2.2 Content that infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of others, such as rights to portrait, privacy, and name, and personal information: Unauthorized disclosure of personal information of others, such as ID number, contact information, residence address, Weixin ID, and photos;
7.2.3 Content that infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of others, such as the rights to reputation and honor: Content that fabricates facts to openly defame someone's character or damages someone's reputation or honor through insults or slander;
7.2.4 Content that infringes on trade secrets: Unauthorized disclosure of trade secrets of a company, infringing on the legitimate rights and interests of the company;
7.2.5 Other content that infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of others.
8. Fraudulent information
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share any fraudulent information, such as information intended to commit fraud by impersonating others, falsely exaggerating product efficacy, or using pyramid scheme models, or information designed to defraud others of personal information and money.
8.1 Fraudulent information by impersonating others: Using another person's characteristic or identity information to impersonate them, misleading other Weixin users and defrauding them of money or property;
Example 1: A Weixin account uses the name of a company's popular game as its alias and indicates, implicitly or explicitly, in the "What's up" status that the account owner is a customer service representative of the game.
Example 2: Impersonating acquaintances, official customer service representatives, or staff from the police department, procuratorate, court, and other governmental agencies, as well as teachers, celebrities, or individuals in specific positions within enterprises or organizations, to deceive others and obtain money or property.
Example 3: Imitating another person's account through profile photo, alias, bio, or Moments content in a way that could confuse other users, ultimately defrauding them of money or property.
8.2 Fraudulent information in the form of ads: Information about healthcare food, healthcare products, drugs, adult products, and other counterfeit or substandard goods that falsely exaggerates the product efficacy;
For example: "The magical medicine that can make people 100 times smarter", "The panacea that can cure all diseases", and "The medicine that helps you grow taller".
8.3 Fraudulent information related to pyramid schemes or similar activities: These activities involve creating a hierarchical structure by recruiting individuals in a sequence, where compensation or rebates are directly or indirectly based on the number of recruits. This is similar to pyramid schemes and includes practices like multi-level marketing and illegal fund-raising that promises high rebates;
Example 1: Fabricating investment projects with claims of government support, under the guise of participating in "national causes", "asset unfreezing", "targeted poverty alleviation", "pension assistance", and other initiatives promising high returns, to induce others to invest funds and recruit additional participants;
Example 2: Fabricating schemes using gimmicks such as top-up consumption offering high rebates and rewards for recruiting newcomers, to induce others to top up, bid, participate in group buying, and pay funds on fake websites, while also recruiting new participants;
Example 3: Fabricating money-making projects leveraging concepts such as digital currency, blockchain and metaverse, with promises of high returns, to induce others to join or invest funds.
8.4 Fraudulent information intended to acquire personal information or data of others;
For example: Deceiving someone into providing personal information by impersonating their relatives or friends, or requesting personal information under the pretense of organizing an event.
8.5 Using the lure of free offers, employing low-cost goods or services to directly or indirectly defraud users of money or property that is clearly disproportionate to the value of those goods or services, or to induce users to assist in committing fraud.
Example 1: Requesting shipping fees for so-called free gifts or related promotional activities;
Example 2: Collecting personal information such as names, addresses, and mobile phone numbers under the guise of offering free gifts, cash rewards, or other benefits;
Example 3: Soliciting passwords to gain account access by claiming to give away free game items or skins, or inducing minors to use their parents' mobile phones to make transfers or payments.
8.6 Other fraudulent information intended to deceive and obtain money, including online earning scams, lottery fraud, fake paid reviews, paid chatting scams, stock recommendation fraud, and loan-related scams.
Example 1: Under the guise of recruiting for high-paying part-time jobs or other reasons, requesting membership fees, onboarding deposits, material fees, agency fees, and other charges from users, and luring them into false online earning projects or projects where the actual benefits are far less than advertised.
Example 2: Inducing individuals to click on unofficial web pages, redirecting them to third-party channels, or persuading them to install third-party software, with the pretext of receiving tasks, adding a receptionist, part-time paid reviews, or offering rebates after completing certain tasks, ultimately cheating them out of their money.
Example 3: Under the guise of romantic relationships, establishing trust with someone and then fabricating reasons to request money or enticing them to buy gifts/products; using tactics such as claiming insider information, guaranteed profits, or investment opportunities to lure individuals to fake websites for purchasing funds, trading stocks, cryptocurrencies, or other investments, ultimately defrauding them of their money; pretending to have the ability to exploit vulnerabilities in gambling platforms and manipulate data or accurately predict outcomes, enticing individuals to gambling websites for financial fraud.
Example 4: Pretending to offer services such as forced or surrogate account openings for specific financial services, credit card applications, or campus loan cancellations in exchange for service fees; selling related tutorials; fabricating reasons to request various fees; or assisting in loan scams by directing potential victims or managing reception for the fraud.
Example 5: Deceiving others by fabricating investment projects, such as fake shared power banks, shared hotels, or shared smart lockers, to swindle franchise fees from individuals.
Example 6: Pretending to assist in recovering funds or compensating for losses, inducing individuals to engage in specific actions, and ultimately defrauding them of their property; for instance, using the pretext of aiding in the retrieval of gym top-up fees to lure individuals into downloading specific software or performing particular actions to defraud them.
8.7 Providing direct or indirect support or assistance for fraudulent activities.
Example 1: Enhancing the atmosphere in fraudulent groups or directing others to such groups, thereby offering support and assistance for fraudulent activities.
Example 2: Persuading individuals to add specific accounts to group chats, forward designated messages, or create and then transfer groups, thereby facilitating fraudulent activities.
9. Content involving illegal goods
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share the content involving the goods that are produced, used, sold, circulated, transported, and/or possessed in violation of laws and regulations, or the content concerning illegal activities such as illegal surrogate services for certificates, credit cards or cash-out.
9.1 Content involving goods that are produced, used, sold, circulated, transported, leased, and/or possessed in violation of laws and regulations, as well as providing assistance for such actions, and imparting related tutorials, methods, technologies, including but not limited to:
9.1.1 State secrets;
9.1.2 Ammunition;
9.1.3 Description of real weapons to encourage the illegal or improper use of weapons;
9.1.4 Firearms, imitation guns, bows and arrows, controlled knives, air guns, gunpowder, dangerous chemicals, or other lethal weapons or their components;
9.1.5 Prohibited drugs;
9.1.6 Human cells, tissues, organs, such as kidneys, sperm, eggs, placentas, and blood;
9.1.7 Wild animal products such as ivory or tiger bone;
9.1.8 Counterfeit banknotes;
9.1.9 Booty and smuggled goods;
9.1.10 Wiretap;
9.1.11 Fake cigarettes;
9.1.12 Invoices;
9.1.13 Personal information of citizens;
9.1.14 Add-on software or related technologies;
9.1.15 Surrogacy-related services or fetal gender identification services;
9.1.16 Uniforms and accessories of government personnel, such as police uniforms and equipment;
9.1.17 VPNs or other services providing access to blocked networks;
9.1.18 Devices or services for peeping, eavesdropping, or unauthorized surveillance.
9.2 Engaging in illegal practices such as document forgery, seal engraving, and surrogate application for or trading of identity cards, passports, Exit-Entry Permits for Traveling to and from Hong Kong and Macao, marriage certificates, household registers, academic credentials, license plates, and driving license points; unlawfully providing or trading goods designed to evade regulatory oversight, such as license plate frames to block electronic surveillance, stickers for altering license plate numbers, and license plate invisibility sprays.
9.3 Engaging in illegal activities such as handling credit cards, credit card cash-outs, provident fund cash-outs, health insurance card cash-outs, and SIM card cloning; participating in or organizing ghostwriting and the buying and selling of academic papers, assisting in cheating, or taking exams on behalf of others; illegally operating currency exchange services; unlawfully handling the recycling or trading of scrapped vehicles; forging bank statements; and other related activities.
9.4 Disseminating tutorials, videos, or content related to the use of drugs through smoking or injection (including new types of drugs), and engaging in activities such as promoting drug marketing or providing assistance in drug transportation;
New types of drugs include, but are not limited to, nitrous oxide, Rush, stimulating e-cigarettes, Shine Bee, and other products that induce effects such as excitement, hallucinations, or anesthesia.
9.5 Sharing marketing information related to virtual currency trading, exchange, or promotion, or providing assistance services for such activities. Posting marketing information about "virtual currency mining machines", promoting "mining", "coin mining", "miners" for virtual currencies, and other tutorials, strategies, and software for obtaining virtual currencies.
9.6 Collecting debts through illegal means, such as using violence, threats, intimidation, or impersonating specific identities.
9.7 Issuing loans in violation of laws and regulations or providing assistance for such actions.
Example 1: Operating online loan businesses without the necessary permits from relevant authorities.
Example 2: Organizing illegal financial services such as loans for individuals with bad credit, nude loans, usurious loans, or Apple ID loans, and disseminating related information.
Example 3: Engaging in illicit lending practices by attracting borrowers with promises of low interest rates and fast disbursement but actually charging exorbitant fees.
10. Content that endangers the security of Weixin platform
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share the information of websites, viruses, files, computer codes or programs that deceive users or endanger the normal operation of Weixin platform.
10.1 Phishing websites and other such content that deceives users and causes them to suffer losses;
10.2 Viruses, files, computer codes, or programs that may harm or interrupt the normal operation of Weixin services.
11. Content that may harm the physical and mental well-being of minors
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share content that may harm the physical and mental well-being of minors, including but not limited to:
11.1 Insulting, defaming, or threatening minors, or maliciously damaging the image of minors;
11.2 Spreading personal information or privacy of minors, distributing obscene content, or inducing or deceiving minors into sending intimate photos, or using explicit language to make sexual implications or inducements to minors;
11.3 Organizing or inciting minors to self-harm, commit suicide, smoke, drink alcohol, gamble, fight, use drugs, or join criminal gangs, or enticing or coercing minors into other harmful or criminal activities;
11.4 Disseminating lewd, violent, bloody, and other harmful information to minors;
11.5 Instigating or providing minors with methods or services to bypass restrictions related to online gaming, teenage modes, identity verification, usage limitations, and anti-addiction measures.
12. Undesirable information
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share information that induces, compels, or incites others to forward or perform specific operations; special identification codes and passwords generated for illegal purposes; harassing information and spam that affect user experience; information designed to organize, instigate, and induce users to conduct fictitious transactions or post false comments; and information that violates the agreement with Tencent.
12.1 Information intended for forwarding
12.1.1 Content that incentivizes users to forward: Content that promises users rewards for forwarding. For example: inviting friends to open gift boxes, collecting likes, and receiving one more chance to draw prizes upon forwarding.
12.1.2 Content that coerces or incites users to forward: Content that uses exaggerated or curse-like language to coerce or entice users to forward. For example: "You are not Chinese if you do not forward this", "Please kindly forward this", "Forward this for a lifetime of safety and health", "It's gone viral", "You must forward this",
and "Forward it to ten of your relatives within 10 minutes to ensure your family's safety, or else misfortune will befall your family".
12.2 Special identification codes and passwords
Special identification codes and passwords generated by third-party software, websites, or devices, used for identification and marking, including but not limited to, special character sets, special identifiers, special codes, and various passwords that induce or harass users, or are used to deceptively or without consent obtain users' relationship chains, personal data, and privacy information.
12.3 Harassing information and spam
In addition to the aforementioned violations, other forms of harassment and spam that disturb users' peace, diminish user experience, or impact the normal use or running of the Weixin app, such as unnecessary communication requests sent in bulk, generated by automated systems, or spread in an unusual manner.
Upon detection of such content, Tencent will take actions against the Weixin account concerned, based on the severity of the violation, such as deleting the non-compliant content and restricting its visibility (including but not limited to hiding the content, and making it visible only to the poster). In this case, Tencent also has the right to discontinue services to the account owner responsible for the violation, such as restricting features of the related accounts or blocking the accounts associated with the owner.
Example 1: Pretending to be someone else or making up reasons to add someone as a friend, then persuading them to add you to a group to send marketing promotions.
Example 2: Directly sending marketing messages to other users, causing them harassment.
Example 3: Redirecting users to a third party, potentially exposing them to uncertain risks.
12.4 Content designed to organize, incite, threaten, and induce users to conduct fictitious transactions or publish false comments to give an entity an unfair advantage over its competitors, or engage in activities such as falsifying traffic data, account subscriptions, user followings, content click rates, shares, comments, and vote counts, disrupting the online ecosystem.
For example: Information designed to recruit people to post fake reviews for a merchant.
12.5 Any other undesirable information that violates Tencent's Service Agreement, Platform Agreement, and Feature Agreement in any form.
For example: Content involving the trade in or lease of Weixin accounts, Weixin groups, payment accounts, or payment QR codes, or acquisition or commercial use of relationship chains obtained from a user.
12.6 Content that violates the Provisions on the Administration of Internet Users' Official Account Information Services or third-party platform agreements, including unauthorized transfers of official accounts from other platforms or providing support or assistance for such actions.
12.7 Traffic-directing information contained in profile photos to induce users to add Weixin contacts, join group chats, follow Official Accounts/Channels, recognize Mini Programs, or download/go to the third-party apps or webpages, including but not limited to Weixin account QR codes, group QR codes, Official Account QR codes, Mini Program QR codes, Channels QR codes, and the third-party identification codes.
12.8 Content involving threats or intimidation for the illegal occupation of another's property, threatening personal safety, or extorting property from others.
Example 1: Obtaining someone's private photos or videos through video chats or other technical means and threatening to expose them to extort money.
Example 2: Illegally acquiring someone’s account and demanding money in exchange for returning it.
Example 3: Locking someone’s mobile phone or other devices using certain methods and demanding payment to unlock them.
12.9 Content related to cyberbullying, including but not limited to:
12.9.1 Using platforms like "love walls," "campus walls," or "submission walls" to reveal someone's personal details, attack them personally, spread rumors, etc.
12.9.2 Obtaining someone's private information through certain channels and then engaging in or encouraging others to engage in online harassment tactics such as SMS bombing or digitally altered insults.
12.9.3 Sharing or organizing the sharing of harmful videos related to school bullying or workplace bullying.
12.9.4 Creating group chats specifically targeting individuals or groups for personal attacks, insults, or to incite or lead others into online conflicts.
12.9.5 Sending messages that are insulting or involve personal attacks to harass others.
12.10 Content that is graphic or may diminish user experience, including but not limited to:
12.10.1 Content depicting gore, ugly behavior, or disturbing scenes that may cause discomfort, such as traffic accidents, war zones, terrorist attacks, sexual assault, human sacrifice, corpses, surgeries, or similar scenarios.
12.10.2 Content involving the abuse or killing of animals.
12.11 Using specific techniques or methods to bypass the risk control measures of internet products, systems, or platforms, or maliciously using these to engage in illegal activities or assist in illegal activities, such as money laundering through point-running, proxy registration, or real-name authentication, or posting tasks to induce others to engage in these activities.
Example 1: Offering incentives to induce others to assist in unblocking accounts, facilitating authentication, or helping others with Internet account or payment account real-name verification.
Example 2: Using "point-running" to launder money or posting "point-running" tasks to organize or assist others in money laundering.
Example 3: Providing services to users who do not meet platform requirements to bypass platform review thresholds or obtain platform services inappropriately, including but not limited to: proxy registration, proxy authentication, account clearing, and selling plugins for order grabbing.
12.12 Acquiring, selling, or renting bank cards, credit cards, corporate settlement cards, real-name SIM cards, business licenses, corporate accounts, and mobile SIM cards either not registered under a real name or registered using a false identity.
13. Other illegal or non-compliant content
Any user shall not create, copy, post, or share any content that violates the requirements of applicable laws and regulations, departmental rules, and other prescriptive documents.
13.1 Content concerning any products or services that is posted or shared without obtaining the statutory permits or licenses or administrative permits, or meeting the requirements of regulatory authorities;
For example: non-compliant content that promotes pharmaceuticals, prescriptions, medical devices, healthcare products, paid investment consulting services (securities, futures, etc.), tobacco products, lottery, and fireworks.
13.2 Content that clearly includes false or exaggerated claims, potentially misleading users or affecting their experience, such as falsely advertising products or services with effects like weight loss, male enhancement, height increase, breast enlargement, or vaginal tightening.
13.3 Information that promotes boosting services in competitive games, disrupts the normal gaming environment, organizes or recruits people to cheat in ranked games, interferes with other players' experiences, or induces others to bypass, evade, or disable anti-addiction services.
13.4 Engaging in malicious reporting or complaints using Internet platform features, including but not limited to: fabricating evidence, organizing mass reporting to disrupt platform order, adding coded or obscure language in report descriptions, operating accounts for malicious reporting, or offering proxy services.
13.5 Other content that violates the requirements of applicable laws and regulations, departmental rules, and other prescriptive documents.
III. Standards of Weixin Group Usage
A Weixin group is an online space established by Weixin users for group communication. Members of the group are collectively referred to as "group members." Users can become "group owners" by creating a group or through transfer. Group owners can appoint other members as "admins". Both group owners and admins are responsible for managing the group, ensuring compliance with laws, regulations, and these Standards to maintain a civilized and orderly online environment. Unless otherwise specified, Weixin groups that include WeCom users are also subject to these Standards due to the interoperability between WeCom and Weixin.
In addition to adhering to the general rules outlined in the "Standards of Weixin Account Usage", group owners, admins, and other members must also comply with the following:
1. Group owners and admins have essential management permissions, including but not limited to inviting users to the group, removing members, setting the group chat name, posting group announcements, appointing group admins, transferring ownership, sharing the group chat QR code, and enabling group invitation confirmation. They should regulate member behaviors, promptly address illegal activities within the group, and be accountable for actions taken using their management permissions.
2. Group owners and admins must use their management permissions legally and appropriately, without abuse.
3. Group members must use group chat features legally and appropriately, including not but limited to sending messages in the group and using features like polls. Members must not use names or aliases that violate national laws or infringe on others' rights in the group.
4. Group members must not use the group to create, copy, publish, or disseminate content that violates laws or the Standards, nor should they create groups for the purpose of illegal activities or knowingly add users to groups with illegal content.
IV. Payment Rules
Weixin Pay is a payment service provided by Tenpay for users through Weixin and Weixin Official Accounts Platform. All users shall abide by the requirements outlined in the applicable laws and regulations, regulatory documents, and Weixin Pay Agreement during the use of Weixin Pay services.
During the use of Weixin Pay, any user shall not:
1. Commit illegal acts such as absorbing public deposits and fund-raising fraud, or facilitating such illegal acts;
2. Forbid, prevent, hinder or interfere with Weixin users' use of Weixin Pay and other third-party payment tools provided by Tencent in any way, or facilitate such acts.
V. Penalties Imposed Against Violations
Tencent has the right to, at its sole discretion, make judgments on users' behaviors or content in accordance with the Standards, and take actions against any violations, including deleting or blocking non-compliant content, issuing warnings, restricting or suspending the use of some or all of the features, or even permanently blocking or deleting the accounts concerned. Tencent also has the right to discontinue the provision of services for the violating account owner or take action against the Weixin groups as well as group owners and admins violating the Standards, such as restricting the features under accounts related to the owner, or blocking the accounts related to the owner.
1. For any Weixin accounts that violate the Standards, Tencent will take actions against such accounts based on the severity of violations, including but not limited to deleting or blocking non-compliant content, issuing warnings, restricting or suspending the use of some or all of the features, or even permanently blocking or deleting the accounts concerned. Tencent also has the right to discontinue the provision of services for the violating account owner, such as restricting the features under accounts related to the owner, or blocking or deleting the accounts related to the owner. In addition, Tencent reserves the right to announce the results of these actions.
2. If any Weixin account commits any acts that violate the Standards in a Weixin group, Tencent will take actions against the Weixin group and the Weixin user violating the Standards based on the severity of the violation, including but not limited to deleting or blocking non-compliant content, issuing warnings, restricting or suspending the use of some or all of the features, or even permanently blocking or deleting the accounts concerned. Tencent also has the right to discontinue the provision of services for the violating account owner, such as restricting the features under accounts related to the owner, blocking the accounts related to the owner, issuing system warnings for violating Weixin groups, temporarily or permanently suspending Weixin group chat services, disbanding groups, limiting or restricting or suspending the use of some or all of the features, or even permanently blocking or deleting the accounts concerned. In addition, Tencent reserves the right to announce the results of these actions.
Furthermore, if the group owner or admins are aware of other members' violations within the group but fail to take reasonable measures to stop them, the group owner or admins will be considered as neglecting their management duties. Tencent will take appropriate actions against the group owner and admins based on the severity of the violation, and has the right to discontinue the provision of services for the violating account owner. Actions may include, but are not limited to, sending warning notifications, suspending group chat services, and taking actions against the group owner or admins.
VI. Reporting and Appealing
If you detect any act or content that violates the Standards, you can report against the Weixin account concerned through the Weixin app. If you have any doubt about or objection to the actions Tencent has taken against your Weixin account for your violation of the Standards, you may appeal to Tencent by submitting supporting documents and proof as required by Tencent according to applicable laws and regulations.
- Reporting against non-compliant accounts
Open the Weixin app, go to "Profile" page of the user you want to report against, tap "..." in the upper right corner, select "Report", and then select a report reason.
- Appealing against penalties
2.1 If you have any doubt about or objection to the action Tencent has taken against your Weixin account for your violation of the Standards, you may appeal to Tencent in any of the following ways:
2.1.1 Customer Service Hotline: +86 755-83765566;
2.1.2 Weixin app: Unblock your account as instructed by the Weixin app (an account has been blocked permanently cannot be unblocked), or contact the Customer Service via the Weixin app, as shown in the following figure:
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- Tencent Customer Service Official Account（腾讯客服公众号）
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- Tencent Customer Service Mini Program
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2.2 If you have any objection to the actions Tencent has taken against you for infringement on the trademark rights, copyrights, and patent rights of another user, you may appeal to Tencent as follows:
Visit weixin110.qq.com > Report and Complaint > Infringement by Weixin account > Guidelines on Counter Notification for Weixin Individual User Complaints Against Infringement on your computer.
VII. Compliance with Applicable Laws, Regulations
You shall abide by all applicable local laws and regulations, and respect local ethics and customs during your use of the Weixin services. You are solely responsible for your behaviors that violate the local laws and regulations or ethics and customs.
Weixin users shall not involve Tencent in political and public events when using this service. Otherwise Tencent reserves the right to suspend or terminate your use of this service.
VIII. Disclaimer
Weixin users clearly understand and agree:
Tencent makes no warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied, with respect to the Weixin services, including but not limited to, commercial quality and fitness for a particular purpose. You shall use the Weixin services at your own risk.
The Standards is designed to achieve the goal of creating a safe, healthy, and high-quality platform by ensuring compliance with national laws and regulations, maintaining public order and good customs, and protecting the legitimate rights and interests of users. Tencent will do the best effort to make the accurate judgments according to applicable laws and regulations but does not guarantee that its judgment is fully consistent with that of the judicial or administrative authorities. Weixin users and operators understand and agree that they shall be responsible for all the consequences arising therefrom. In case of any discrepancy between the Chinese and English versions, the Chinese version shall prevail.
IX. Updates to the Standards
The Standards is subject to changes and updates from time to time. Tencent has the right to make amendments, revisions, or supplements to the Standards as necessary according to any updates of applicable laws and regulations or product operation requirements. It is therefore advised to visit our website regularly to access the latest version of the Standards.
X. Links to Applicable Agreements
In addition to the Standards, you shall carefully read the "Agreement on Software License and Service of Tencent Weixin" and other applicable service agreements and standards.
Tencent Cloud Terms of Service
Agreement on Software License and Service of Tencent Weixin
Weixin Official Accounts Admin Platform – Terms of Service
Operational Guidelines for Weixin Official Accounts
Weixin External Link Content Management Standards
Ⅺ. Miscellaneous
This Standards may be drafted and concluded in different languages, including Simplified Chinese, English and others. In case of any inconsistency and discrepancy between the Simplified Chinese version and any version of other language, the Simplified Chinese version shall prevail.
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