Tencent to tighten regulations on Wechat applets

The developer of WeChat, China's most popular instant messaging app, has reportedly announced that tougher measures will be taken to regulate mini-programs or applets accessible within WeChat.

A photo shows users where to locate applet programs within the WeChat interface. [Photo: qq.com]

People's Daily reports that over 2,000 WeChat applets have been closed down or deleted by Tencent, after they were found engaging in illegal activities such as selling fake products, distributing porn, and facilitating gambling. 

An official notice from Tencent said that stricter regulations would be applied to the inspection and approval of applets. And Tencent will improve how it collects user complaints regarding applets, according to the People's Daily report.

WeChat applet programs were launched by Tencent in January 2017. WeChat users can order meals, book tickets, use share bikes, and access many other services using the applets without having to download individual apps for each service. 

Statistics show that by the end of 2017 half of WeChat's 800 million users have used an applet.