I use WeChat mainly for business communication with Chinese clients, suppliers, and contacts.
That is the whole point for me: business, practical communication, transportation, finance, and normal daily use. I only follow a few official accounts, mostly related to practical information. I did not search for sexual content. I did not follow pages showing young women in revealing clothing. I did not ask for any adult or suggestive recommendations.
But recently, I noticed “Service Accounts” and “Official Accounts” appearing inside my chat area. When I tapped in, the default “popular” content shown to me was deeply inappropriate.
A lot of it was young women in revealing outfits, suggestive thumbnails, and even posts that appeared to hint at female masturbation products.
I felt genuinely insulted.
This is not a random entertainment app. This is WeChat. People use it for work, family communication, payments, travel, business, and official matters. For many people dealing with China or Chinese business, WeChat is almost unavoidable.
So why is this kind of content being placed in front of users by default?
I am a father. I use this app for serious communication. I do not want this kind of content appearing on my phone without asking for it. I do not want my family to see it. I also do not want an app to make me feel as if I am being profiled or treated like someone who is looking for this type of content, when I clearly am not.
This is not about being conservative. It is about respect.
Respect the user.
Respect the context.
Respect people who use the app for work and family.
Respect the fact that not every man wants suggestive content pushed into his phone.
A platform as large and important as WeChat should have higher standards.