You’ve probably heard of WeChat – it’s more than just a messaging app used mostly by Chinese users.
Just to give you an idea of its popularity, its monthly active users have doubled over the last decade.
However, its popularity doesn’t mean there are no privacy concerns associated with it.
WeChat has faced major privacy concerns, including questions about data tracking and government access.
Some countries – and even parts of the U.S. – have gone as far as banning it.
Planning to use it anyway? A VPN like SuperFree VPN offers extra protection and promises to unblock this app in your region (more on that later).
In this blog, we’ll explain the top security concerns and how to stay safe while using WeChat.
WeChat: A Popular Chinese App Used By Billions
WeChat is a highly popular Chinese app, like, billions of people over there use it every single day!
It’s the go-to tool for messaging and social media, totally a must-have for so many people in China.
Now, there’s a reason why: those other big social media sites you use, like Facebook and X, they’re actually blocked in China.
So, WeChat is pretty much the main way for those people to connect online.
Or you can think of it as their key to chatting with friends, family, and even people around the world. It’s how a lot of Chinese people stay in touch with what’s happening globally.
Source: WeChat
But, here’s the catch – anything people post or talk about on WeChat in China? The government keeps a pretty close eye on it. It’s part of their whole censorship thing.
Despite this censorship and the data security concerns, WeChat continues to grow in popularity every day – just have a look at the chart below and you will get an idea.
Source: Oberlo
How WeChat Keeps Your Data Safe [A Look at Its Security Features]
So when you’ve got an app like WeChat with, like, a billion people – literally – using it and sharing all sorts of stuff, you gotta wonder how safe all that info is, right?
Privacy and security become very important in this case.
So, to give you the breakdown on how WeChat tries to keep your data secure (well, to some degree anyway), let’s have a look at some of their main security measures.
1. Double Password Confirmation For Additional Security
Imagine you’re logging into your Gmail account from a new device.
It prompts you for a password and then sends a verification code to your phone for double-checking your identity.
This process is known as two-factor authentication (2FA).
Well, WeChat, more or less, also follows the same principle.
When you set up certain important features or try to log in via a different device, they might ask you to put in your password, followed by another method of verification – all of this just to be sure it’s actually you.
This double-check makes it way harder for someone who might have somehow gotten hold of your password to mess with your account.
The following flowchart will make it even easier for you to understand this:
A flowchart explaining 2-factor authentication
2. Real-Name Verification To Promote Trust
This feature is all about knowing and verifying the identity of each person on the app.
WeChat asks every user to verify their identity using their phone number – the actual mobile phone number in use – or other ID.
And one more thing: sometimes, when you’re trying to sign up, they might even ask you to verify with the contact info of a friend who’s already in China or someone who’s been using WeChat for a while.
Talk about taking extra steps to make sure everything’s legit!
Source: Sinorbis
The idea behind this? To create a more trustworthy environment.
If people are using their actual identities, they’re probably less likely to try and pull any shady stuff.
It’s just like in the real world – you’re more likely to be on your best behavior if people know who you are.
Ofcoruse it makes sense to verify each person’s identity!
3. Personalized Privacy Settings (for Data Control)
This is where you get to be the real owner of your own info!
WeChat usually gives you a number of privacy settings you can change to control who sees what about you.
This way, you can decide who can see your profile picture, your posts, your friend list, and even who can contact you.
Source: that’s mags
Why You Should Be Worried About Using WeChat?
So far, you must have been thinking: there doesn’t seem to be a major issue with this application – it’s so popular not just among Chinese citizens but English-speaking users as well.
Well…..the truth is that there are a number of security issues that caused experts to raise alarms.
To help you understand the data privacy concerns, I will explain three commonly reported issues associated with WeChat:
1. Not clear who else might have access to your data
As a WeChat user, one big question in your mind must be: Is my data shared with any third party?
Well, the thing is, there are serious question marks around the sharing of users’ personal data.
Some researchers have pointed out that users registered with non-Chinese phone numbers are also monitored, and their data is used for various purposes.
Given that user conversations are not encrypted, unlike the end-to-end data encryption ensured by WhatsApp, a third party can also intercept and access the personal data.
2. Concerns about user info being collected
When it comes to the collection of users’ sensitive data, WeChat has defined its privacy policy clearly, mentioning how and what data is collected and stored (as shown in the following image).
Source: WeChat
However, experts have underlined the fact that the application collects more data than it publicly reveals in this privacy policy.
Some instances of video recordings being collected by WeChat have been mentioned as well.
Isn’t that a major concern for any user sharing personal information via WeChat?
3. Chinese Government’s Role
The Chinese government’s strict digital surveillance mechanisms in the country are well-known to everyone.
But can the government spy on your personal stuff using WeChat?
Well, here’s the thing: since WeChat is a Chinese application, it has to obey the rules of their government.
And as per their regulations, WeChat can hand over users’ data, including personal messages, to the government in certain cases.
There have been reports of WeChat accounts blocked due to discussions related to taboo topics.
So if you are a WeChat user, particularly living in China, maybe it is not a good idea to criticize government policies (or discuss incidents like Tiananmen Square…..).
Expert Opinions on Using WeChat
Now, I will highlight some of the popular online reviews about this application to help you understand the pros and cons of WeChat
1. Very Few Updates
A user on Reddit noticed that the last major update introduced by this application was a long time ago.
In comparison, the Facebook mobile application received its last major update on 19th April 2025.
This really shows how quickly social media platforms are always changing and adding new stuff.
Coming back to WeChat, a lack of new updates means no new features are introduced, and if there are any bugs reported by users, they haven’t been resolved as well.
Maybe this is because of the fact that WeChat is pretty much the only tool to access social media in China, since other big apps are blocked!
Source: reddit
2. Slow Loading Speed on iPhone 11
Another user shared their personal experience in the same thread, highlighting that using WeChat on an iPhone 11 is really difficult, given the slow loading speed.
According to him, the phone hangs up on attending or making calls using this application – it’s certainly troublesome for him
While I personally don’t have experience using WeChat on iPhone.
However, one must keep in mind that iPhone 11 was released way back in 2007 – user experience on the most recent iPhone version is more relevant in this context.
Source: reddit
3. Difficult Chat Backup Process
For any WhatsApp user, backing up chats is a really easy step.
All they have to do is connect this application to their Gmail account and set a time when the conversations and other data will be uploaded to the Cloud Storage daily.
Now, what about the WeChat application?
Well, at least according to one user, WeChat’s backup process is far more complicated and inefficient as compared to other applications.
This makes saving personal information in the Cloud difficult for WeChat users.
Source: reddit
In Which Countries Is WeChat Banned (And Why)?
Here, I have compiled a list of countries where it is illegal to use WeChat because of privacy concerns.
1. India
The Indian government imposed a ban on WeChat in June 2020.
Why was this application banned?
As per the Indian government, WeChat was sharing users’ data to servers located outside India – a threat to the country’s national security.
2. Canada
In Canada, WeChat was banned in October 2023 from the devices used the government officials.
The reason given was a very high level of risk posed by this application, given its non-transparent data collection methods.
3. Many States of the USA
Many states of the USA, including North Carolina, have banned the use of WeChat, citing similar data privacy concerns.
Why Use SuperFree VPN To Unblock WeChat
Now, if WeChat is banned in your region, it doesn’t mean there is no way to use this application to access social media platforms and send messages to your friends.
Using SuperFree VPN, you can bypass such restrictions and connect with your friends and family without any trouble.
Plus, this tool ensures the privacy of your data, all this without costing you a single dollar.
Download SuperFree VPN now, and access social media via WeChat with ease, irrespective of your geographical location.
Conclusion
In short, WeChat is a popular messaging and social media application used by billions.
But the truth is, it comes with some serious question marks when it comes to data privacy.
So, if you are a WeChat user, you must be aware of certain data privacy risks related to this application.
Letting your personal stuff go into the wrong hands is the absolute last thing you’d want.
