Image

If You Use This App, You’re Being Watched

There’s no question that China is a nation of rampant government surveillance. However, what you may not be aware of is that you are currently being watched if you are a WeChat user. In an era of countless social media applications, it’s normal to download whatever application is popular for communication without considering the ‘Terms and Conditions.’ So what’s the big deal with WeChat? It’s important to understand the history of WeChat in order to understand how it got to where it is today. Here’s a brief history of the company: January 2011 — Chinese company, ‘Tencent,’ debuts the messaging……

There’s no question that China is a nation of rampant government surveillance. However, what you may not be aware of is that you are currently being watched if you are a WeChat user.

In an era of countless social media applications, it’s normal to download whatever application is popular for communication without considering the ‘Terms and Conditions.’

So what’s the big deal with WeChat?

It’s important to understand the history of WeChat in order to understand how it got to where it is today.

Here’s a brief history of the company:

  • January 2011 — Chinese company, ‘Tencent,’ debuts the messaging app (original name: Weixin).
  • June 2014 — WeChat overtakes SMS as the predominant messaging app in China.
  • May 2017 — WeChat ‘captures 30 per cent of [all] China’s mobile app usage.’
  • December 2018 — WeChat reaches 1 billion users worldwide (Including 2.5 million Australians).

Various reports show that Beijing is attempting to make WeChat China’s official electronic ID system.

According to The Verge:

The pilot program began at the end of December, and it expanded across the country in January. The program was developed by the research institute of the Ministry of Public Security and Tencent’s WeChat team and is backed by banks and other government departments, including the China Construction Bank and the Guangzhou police station’s Nansha District branch.

How did WeChat get so big?

There are two main reasons for WeChat’s exponential rise:

1. Banning of other platforms — Virtually all other social media platforms are banned in China (see below). Government-censorship paved the way for WeChat’s prominence and domination.

2. Government-Control — Like all Chinese social media applications, WeChat is essentially a government-controlled and operated platform. Although the company is privately owned, it has been ‘subsidized by the government since its creation in 2011.’

Why should we be concerned?

Well, as Liang Chen from Oxford University argues:

[The] WeChat platform is important as a powerful weapon of the government’s fight on the main battlefield of ideology.

Beijing understands that ideas matter, and so they are doing everything they can to combat any worldview that challenges its communist reign.

Just read this excerpt from WeChat’s ‘Terms and Conditions’:

Essentially, WeChat prohibits you from:

1. Sharing any information or messages that are critical of the Chinese government’s socialist system. This includes messages that ‘destroy national unity’ — a condition that could include virtually any non-communist perspective.

2. Using WeChat as a platform to share the Gospel or other religious messages.

3. Organise religious gatherings, including house churches.

On this note, there’s no wonder WeChat scored a 0/100 on Amnesty International’s ‘Freedom of Speech’ rating.

As Freedom House explains:

The CCP’s Central Propaganda Department, government agencies, and private companies employ hundreds of thousands or even millions of people to monitor, censor, and manipulate online content. Material on a range of issues is systematically censored, with the most censored topics in 2017 involving breaking news related to health and safety, media censorship, official wrongdoing, foreign affairs, the reputation of the party or officials, or civil society activism.”

As part of this mission, China aims to roll out its ‘Social Credit Rating System’  by the year 2020. This system essentially rates its citizens based on their behaviour online, in public (using over 200 million CCTV cameras), and in private.

It’s clear — WeChat is one of Beijing’s primary instruments used to track and monitor its citizens.  And the scariest thing is, you may be aiding China in achieving this goal by using the application.

What was once only found in Orwellian fiction is now playing out before our very eyes.

Special Request:

For nearly eight years, we've highlighted issues ignored by mainstream media and resisted globalist ideologies eroding Western civilization. We've done this joyfully, without paywalls, despite personal costs to our team. Your support has kept us going, but operating costs exceed donations, forcing us to use ads. We’d love to ditch them, so we’re asking for your help. If you value our work, please consider supporting us via Stripe or PayPal. Every bit helps us keep fighting for our kids’ future. Thank you!

What's New?

Use the blue arrows at the bottom to scroll through the latest.
Decriminalising Abortion Shifts the Right to Life from God to the State

Decriminalising Abortion Shifts the Right to Life from God to the State

"By legalising abortion, we are not just allowing the state to regulate life and death; we are redefining rights as privileges that can be granted and revoked by government, not as inherent gifts from God."
By
by Ben DavisJun 18, 2025
Baptist Perspectives on What Constitutes Israel

Baptist Perspectives on What Constitutes Israel

Who are the true recipients of God's covenant promises to Israel—ethnic Israel or those who are in Christ?
By
by Tim GrantJun 18, 2025
Has the Church Replaced Israel?

Has the Church Replaced Israel?

The nature of the relationship between Israel and the Church has been the subject of much misunderstanding and debate.
By
by Ben DavisJun 17, 2025
Mel Gibson: LA’s Open Borders Violence Is the Result of “Destructive Democrat Decision-Making”

Mel Gibson: LA’s Open Borders Violence Is the Result of “Destructive Democrat Decision-Making”

“We need to make our voices heard, as a community,” Gibson asserted, “because it’s clear that our elected officials don’t seem to give a damn.”
By
by Rod LampardJun 17, 2025
Bureaucrats Target Tutoring Startup After Homeschooling Surge

Bureaucrats Target Tutoring Startup After Homeschooling Surge

“Over half of our Victorian families withdrew from our programs, not because we failed them, but because they feared the system would punish them for accessing support.”
By
by Rod LampardJun 16, 2025
The End of War: From Barbarianism to Christendom

The End of War: From Barbarianism to Christendom

"Through the message of the cross, bloodthirsty warriors were remade into saints, and their warring tribes were transformed into the foundation of the greatest civilisation the world has known."
By
by Staff WriterJun 15, 2025
US State Department Defends Ireland Against EU’s Hate Speech Law Threat

US State Department Defends Ireland Against EU’s Hate Speech Law Threat

"We support the Irish people and our shared commitment to fundamental freedoms," the US said.
By
by Staff WriterJun 15, 2025
Massive Iron Ore Discovery and Global Warming

Massive Iron Ore Discovery and Global Warming

A recent high-grade iron ore discovery in Western Australia, valued at $6 trillion, raises questions about environmental policies. The processing of iron ore to make steel requires coal, leading to significant CO2 emissions, highlighting the stark contradiction with the Climate Cult agenda.

Image

Support

If you value our work and would like to support us, you can do so by visiting our support page. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Visit our search page.

Copyright © 2025, Caldron Pool

Permissions

Everything published at Caldron Pool is protected by copyright and cannot be used and/or duplicated without prior written permission. Links and excerpts with full attribution are permitted. Published articles represent the opinions of the author and may not reflect the views of all contributors at Caldron Pool.

Caldron Pool does not condone the use of violence, threats, or intimidation for political or religious purposes. We strongly advocate for peaceful, respectful, and free communication and open debate without fear of reprisal or punishment.