China’s big brother apparatus is extending its censorship to American citizens. Owned by a Chinese company, WeChat is censoring political messages and support for the Hong Kong freedom movement including posts by Chinese Americans. WeChat users have been sending messages to representatives in Washington D.C. to ask them to prevent Chinese companies from violating Americans’ free speech rights. (The Verge, November 25, 2019, by Zoe Schiffer)
Many users in the U.S. have been banned from the site, a departure from China’s usual lenient treatment of foreigners. When banned, users lose an important way to stay in touch with family in China. (Daily Mail, November 26, 2019, by Isobel Asher Hamilton)