WeChat – Africa Tech Digest

Beijing prosecutors have filed a civil legal action against Tencent over claims its messaging-app WeChat's Youth Mode does not comply with laws protecting minors. Youth Mode prevents younger users from accessing payments, playing certain games and finding nearby friends. However, prosecutors have not specified exactly how the app is allegedly violating Chinese law. Tencent said it would "investigate" the claim. "We will earnestly inspect and check the functions of WeChat Youth Mode, accept user suggestions humbly and sincerely respond to civil public-interest litigation," the company posted on Weibo. WeChat, known as Weixin in China, has about 1.26 billion monthly active users. Last week, Chinese authorities called for minors to be better protected from online dangers, wi...

MTN Group has announced it will launch an instant messaging (IM) service akin to China’s WeChat and Facebook’s WhatsApp as it seeks to expand revenue from digital services and mobile money. With the IM platform, which will form part of the group’s mobile money initiatives, MTN wants to build what group CEO Rob Shuter calls the “WeChat of Africa”. WeChat, developed by Naspers affiliate Tencent, is by far the largest IM app in China and offers a wide range of in-app services from chat to payments. The app will be launched in MTN markets in West Africa first as part of a “beta-testing” phase. The plan is to introduce it to all the countries in which it operates, including South Africa. A key differentiator will be the ability for users to exchange messages who don’t have a data pla...

Tag: WeChat

China sues Tencent over WeChat Youth Mode

MTN to launch ‘WeChat of Africa’