![]() How are Australian politicians using WeChat? There has been at least one report of misinformation circulating this time around but the risks of “fake news” being seeded into chat groups is likely to increase as the election draws closer. In the 2019 election Labor complained to WeChat about a high volume of misleading anti-Labor material, some of which could be traced back to Liberal party members. While there is potential for ads and editorial to be misleading or censored, the real risk lies with party operatives and others seeking to influence the election by spreading “fake news” in WeChat groups, which are much harder to monitor and control than public pages. But many rely on WeChat and, in doing so, tacitly subscribe to this level of censorship. Some publications, like Sydney Today, have developed their own apps to deliver their news to customers on their phones as a means of being able to exercise more control. There has also been very limited coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on WeChat, with coverage skewed toward Russian statements about the war and its progress. Observers said that it was unlikely the Solomons security story would find its way onto any WeChat news sites. ![]() ![]() The story did not appear at all on Sydney Today’s WeChat account. It is for reference only and does not represent the attitude and position of this website.” “This article is from 9News, which only represents the original source and the original author’s point of view. Sydney Today, a Chinese-Australian publication which is owned by Media Today, published a story from 9News about the issue, which it translated into Chinese.ĭespite being no more than a report of public comments by the Australian foreign minister, Marise Payne, that “Australia was deeply disappointed” the Solomons had signed the agreement, it carried a disclaimer. Take for example the current issue of China’s security agreement with Solomons. Networks and information sharing within the app are opaque, contributing to the spread of disinformation.” “Media outlets on WeChat face tight restrictions that facilitate CCP influence by pushing the vast majority of news accounts targeting Australian audiences to register in China. “However, WeChat raises concerns because of its record of censorship, information control and surveillance, which align with Beijing’s objectives. It’s also the most popular platform used by Chinese-Australians to access news. “On the one hand, the app is particularly important to Chinese-Australians and helps people stay connected to friends and family in China. Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning “WeChat may be driving the most substantial and harmful changes ever observed in Australia’s Chinese-language media sector,” researcher Alex Joske wrote in his 2020 paper The Influence Environment for the thinktank Australian Strategic Policy Institute. WeChat applies censorship algorithms to news regarded as sensitive to the Chinese government and some subjects are taboo. Is news on WeChat censored?Ī recent Lowy Institute survey on Being Chinese in Australia found that while most Chinese-Australians rely on WeChat for Chinese-language news (86%) and contact with friends and family (66%), many are sceptical about the reliability of news shared on the platform. With the private account, you can post or participate in individual chats or group chats with friends.īut because it is based in China, and subject to censorship rules of the Chinese Communist Party, WeChat is not the same as platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp – and any decision to use it by Australian political parties comes with risks. WeChat also has private accounts, which are like a Facebook personal account. You need to be a Chinese citizen to apply for an official account, but foreign companies and Australian politicians have obtained accounts through agencies based in China, who offer to register the account on behalf of the organisation. This is where Chinese-language media operate, along with other organisations and businesses. ![]() “Official accounts”, also known as WeChat subscriptions, are like Facebook pages where you can follow and read the latest posts published by the page owner. WeChat is also a major publishing, advertising and communications tool for businesses, both inside and outside China. Even street food vendors now display the QR codes that drive the system. It’s needed to pay for goods and to order taxis. It has become so ubiquitous in China that it’s hard to function without a WeChat account. WeChat is sometimes referred to as a Swiss army knife application: a mega app combining the functionality of Facebook, WhatsApp, Uber and Paypal. ![]()
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