Religious Crowdfunding by Non-Religious Groups to be Banned on WeChat

WeChat
WeChat (photo: 36Kr)
By Ruth WangDecember 20th, 2016

On Tuesday, WeChat, China's most used messaging APP announces that the official accounts of non-religious groups or unregistered religious venues for religious activities are banned to launch any religious crowdfunding in any form.

The announcement claims that the platform finds that some non-religious official accounts carry out fundraising campaigns in the name of "religious donations," who receive complaints about their inducing deeds and frauds that harm the legitimate rights of religious groups and the app users.

According to the related laws and regulations as well as the service agreement, WeChat will standardize "religious donations" made in the platform. Meanwhile, the app will stop the spreading of all the website links concerning "religious donations."

Accounts that violate the rule may be restricted in functions and even permanently banned. In serious cases, the app may refuse to provide service to those accounts.  

Translated by: Karen Luo

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