With all the privacy issues running rampant in today’s world, it’s more important than ever that our fast-paced social lives be protected as well. For this, WeChat announced today that its website has been certified by TRUSTe, a leading global Data Privacy Management (DPM) company that provides privacy assessments, certifications, monitoring tools, and compliance controls.
WeChat’s new TRUSTe certification is part of a larger commitment by the popular OTT app to protect consumer privacy while online, while also adhering to practices of “transparency and consumer choice.”
For those who may not be aware, TRUSTe certification is a privacy and data protection certificate granted to those organizations who have fulfilled the organization’s comprehensive privacy certification requirements to help ensure that processes by companies such as WeChat are transparent, and these companies are also accountable to the practices outlined in the app’s privacy policy statement. WeChat’s certification covers the social app across five different mobile operating systems — Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Symbian and Windows Phone.
78 percent of smartphone users will not download an app they do not trust
“Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and concerned about what personal information companies are collecting about them and how it is being used,” said Chris Babel, CEO of TRUSTe. “With 78% unwilling to download an app they don’t trust, strong data privacy management practices are essential for any business looking to take advantage of new opportunities on mobile while building trust and protecting their brand.”
“By achieving TRUSTe certification, WeChat is demonstrating to millions of global users a clear commitment to privacy and transparency about how data is collected and used within the app. TRUSTe is the number one global privacy brand so displaying the Certified Privacy Seal within WeChat and its website can help to increase trust and support WeChat’s growth in the wider international markets,” added Babel.
WeChat has built privacy measures that allow users to control who joins their friends list, views their information and manages how others can find them online. For higher security and control, users have the option to activate two-way authentication to initiate a chat, opt in and out of location-based services (LBS) functions at any time and block out undesirable contacts.
“This is a true milestone for WeChat,” said Poshu Yeung, Vice President of International Business Group at Tencent, the company behind the WeChat app. “WeChat has more than 100 million registered user accounts around the globe and is revolutionizing the way people communicate in their daily lives by providing a completely unique experience. Now with TRUSTe certification, WeChat users can have peace-of-mind knowing their data is well protected when they are keeping in touch with friends, meeting new people and having fun with WeChat.”
If you’ve been holding off on downloading WeChat due to the lack of TRUSTe certification, or you haven’t tried the application yet, be sure to get the latest version here. Don’t forget to add us to your WeChat contacts as well (username: TruTower)!