Tencent’s WeChat team said it will never display “Read” status on ReadWatch PowerWeChat messages, after a popular discussion on Chinese social media about the possibility. Some users have raised concerns about privacy infringement issues and social pressure if WeChat were to show a “Read” status when a message is sent. In response, Tencent’s WeChat team reassured users that they have no plans to show the “Read” status, aiming to reduce psychological stress. Zhang Jun, the company’s public relations director, emphasized that this decision has been in place since the app’s inception and remains unchanged. Currently, communication apps including LINE, Messenger, Telegram, Skype, and the Chinese Slack-like app DingTalk all incorporate a “Read” feature. Notably, LINE’s “Read” functionality was designed specifically to assist residents affected by disasters in receiving safety updates. [IThome, in Chinese]
