Weixin Channels Operation Standards

1. Principles

We are committed to providing our users with high-quality services and online information. To safeguard a secure, orderly, and healthy online environment, we have established the following basic operating principles which serve as the foundation for all rights and responsibilities of the Weixin Channels Platform (hereinafter referred to as “the Platform”) users. Let's work together to maintain the orderly operation of the Platform and ensure compliance with Operation Standards.

Act Honestly

Creating an account using fake information, deliberately misleading others, interfering with real platform data, or engaging in any other dishonest conduct will infringe on the rights of other users and is not permitted.

Share Appropriate Content

The platform encourages sharing appropriate content. Users are not permitted to share any content that is harmful,extremely inappropriate, or any information that negatively affects the emotional and physical well-being of youth.

Avoid Interfering with Others

You may not directly or indirectly interfere with other users' free use of Channels.

2. Applicable Agreements and Rules

In order to use the Weixin Channels services or access the Weixin Channels Platform (hereinafter referred as "the Platform"), you must read and comply with all applicable agreements and specific rules, including the Agreement on Software License and Service of Tencent Weixin, Standards of Weixin Account Usage, Weixin Official Accounts Platform Operation Rules.The following rules are an interpretation of and not an amendment to the above agreements and rules. Examples have been provided to help you understand and comply with them so that you can use the Platform more smoothly.

3. Rules for Account Registration

3.1 Only one channel account can be created for a Weixin account. If channel operations violate the Standards, the ID document, mobile number, or other information linked to the Weixin account or channel may be blocked from registering for a channel account.

3.2 The Channel account name must be consistent with its introduction and must be different from existing account names.

3.3 Registration will fail if your account name, profile photo, or introduction contains any lewd, violent, or illegal content.

3.4 Your account name, profile photo, and introduction must be objective, identifiable, and trustworthy, and free of any exaggerative,excessive,advertising (including any form of promotion, marketing, or commercial publicity) or misleading statements. The Channel account must not impersonate public figures or give users similar misleading impressions, or infringe on other individual's rights to name, reputation, portrait, and privacy, as well as intellectual property rights, trade secrets, and other legal rights.

3.5 You may not create an account if, without valid reasons, (a) the account name is the same as or may be confused with a name with priority right (e.g. trademark right), an existing Weixin Official Account, or an account that is widely-recognized on other platforms; (b) the naming rules are not followed by any means including but not limited to adding meaningless letters or symbols. Existing accounts that violate the Standards are also subject to penalties.

3.6 Use of any and all of the following names is prohibited:

3.6.1 The names of the nation of China, its national flag, national emblem, military flag, medals, and the names of the specific locations of central state organs, or names of landmark buildings (the names of state organs are only applicable to government agencies, and foreign-owned or joint-venture companies with "China" in their names may use such names, e.g. "P&G China").

3.6.2 The names of foreign countries (foreign consulates and other foreign institutions in China with the country's name in their full names may use such names, e.g. "US Consulate in China").

3.6.3 Names with ethical discrimination.

3.6.4 Names with exaggeration or deception, such as "the national liquor" (using an exaggerated adjective) or "the best liquor in China" (no brand may claim itself as the best in China).

3.6.5 Names that are harmful to socialist morals or may cause any unfavorable consequences.

3.6.6 Ambiguous and misleading names that, for example, impersonate other companies' names or brands to carry out false advertising.

3.6.7 A noun, name, or term widely used in daily life, such as positive energy, foodie, astrology, fortune, love, health, health care, encyclopedia, joke, show biz, or online game, etc. The Platform may require companies or organizations having widely-recognized abbreviated names to use their full name.

3.6.8 The name of a place (e.g. Beijing, Shanghai, or Shenzhen)

3.7 The batch registration of a large number of similar accounts is prohibited.

3.8 You shall not create any account that involves lists ranking by popularity, fund raising, or commenting control for celebrities, or gossipy and insider information of celebrities. You shall not create an account and conduct any activities in the name of a celebrity's fan club without the authorization of the celebrity agency (studio).

4. Prohibition of Malicious Use

Malicious use refers to exploiting Weixin Channels in any way to affect user experience, compromise the security of the Weixin Platform, or infringe on others' rights. Tencent will take action against any Channel accounts or Weixin IDs (may be displayed as "WeChat ID" in the app, the same below) found to be involved in such practices, and is entitled to refuse providing service to the offending account holders. Malicious use includes but is not limited to:

4.1 Improper registration

4.1.1 Malicious registration or use of Channel account, such as frequent or batch registration, provision of fake information, purchase and sale of Channels and relevant features, and registration using illegal or infringing content.

4.1.2 Unauthorized use of a company name or trademark that has been registered by another user, infringing on their right to identity or their exclusive trademark rights.

4.1.3 Unauthorized use of another user's name or portrait, infringing on their right to identity or their right to portrait, etc.

4.2 Tampering with features

Tampering with the features, pages, or text of Channels, which affects the original features, purposes, or meanings of Weixin or Channels.

4.3 Use of add-ons

Using plug-ins, add-ons, or other third-party tools/services without Weixin's prior written authorization to access Weixin and its related systems.

4.4 Solicitation

4.4.1 Soliciting users to share, follow, like, and comment, for example, by offering them incentives, including but not limited to, inviting friends to open a gift box, collecting likes, or sharing something may increase your chances in a prize draw.

4.4.2 Coercing or inciting users to share, follow, like, or comment, for example, by using exaggerated or curse words, including but not limited to, "You are not Chinese if you do not forward this", "Please kindly forward this", and "The rest of your life will be peaceful after you forward this".

4.4.3 Inducing minors to pay money to support celebrities.

4.4.4 Provocative content that entices users to contact and interact with the publisher.

Example: Where are you, my darling? I'm so lonely. I miss you so much.

4.5 Click fraud

4.5.1 Acquiring fake data including but not limited to followers, likes, comments, or views by using any inappropriate methods, including but not limited to, faking followers in Weixin or its services by taking advantage of third-party platforms, add-on software, or vulnerabilities.

4.5.2 Creating, publishing, using, or sharing methods and tools for click fraud, whether for commercial purposes or not, will be subject to harsh penalty.

4.6 Illegal marketing

4.6.1 Using Channels for illegal or criminal practices, including scams, pyramid schemes, or smuggling, or selling any goods or services that are prohibited or restricted by national laws, including but not limited to firearms and ammunition, explosives, restricted knives, rare wild animals and plants, medical services and instruments, pharmaceuticals and health products, tobacco, securities and futures, or investment consulting services.

4.6.2 Conducting investment advisory activities (including but not limited to securities, futures, and funds) such as recommending stocks or financial products without the approval of the competent authorities; or inducing or attracting users for marketing purposes under the disguise of sharing financial information (such as stock market analysis, industry analysis) and investment tips;

4.6.3 Take or facilitate any action that involves, encourages, promotes, or solicits others to engage in unfair competition practices.

4.7 Deliberate circumvention

Using techniques to maliciously circumvent or violate our Platform Standards, including evading the Weixin system detection and violation penalties by deliberate use of special codes, typography, or graphic design.

4.8 Interfering other users' experience

4.8.1 Sending harassment messages, spam or ads in the form of excessive marketing or business promotion that disturbs and harasses a user, impairs a user's experience, or impacts the normal use or running of the software.

4.8.2 Disseminating information pertaining to special identification codes and passwords generated by third-party software, websites, or devices, which are used for identification and marking, including but not limited to, special character sets, special identifiers, special codes, and various passwords that are used to harass or induce users (to click, view, follow, or use), obtain personal information of the user, and present security threats to users.

4.8.3 Distributing URLs or domain names in violation of Weixin External Link Content Management Standards, including but not limited to those that have been restricted or banned on Weixin due to violation of rules.

4.9 Impersonation

4.9.1 Creating an account by using other individual's identity or false information. Posting content by impersonating another person or doing something that intentionally attempts to confuse other users.

4.9.2 Fraudulently assuming another user's identity and using their characteristic information in a way that misleads other Weixin users. For example, using the name of a company's popular game product as your Channel ID, and implying or indicating that you are a game product customer service representative in your bio status.

4.10 Personal attack

Public shaming, defamation, or degradation of others.

5. Prohibition of Undesirable Information

We want all the content hosted on Weixin Channels to be authentic and secure to help promote the sharing of higher quality content. Tencent will take action against any Channel accounts or WeixinIDs found to be involved in distributing undesirable information, and is entitled to refuse providing service to the offending account holders. Dissemination of the following undesirable information on the Platform is prohibited:

5.1 Content prohibited by laws of mainland China that:

5.1.1 Violates the basic rules determined by Constitution;

5.1.2 Endangers national security, leaks state secrets, subverts state power, and undermines national unity;

5.1.3 Damages national honor and interests;

5.1.4 Incites ethnic hatred and discrimination, and destroys ethnic unity;

5.1.5 Undermines the national religion policy, and advocates cults and feudal superstitions;

5.1.6 Spreads false information in order to disturb public order or disrupt social stability;

5.1.7 Disseminates obscenity, pornography, gambling, violence, terror, or content that abets the crime;

5.1.8 Insults or slanders others, and infringes on the legal rights and interests of others;

5.1.9 Incites illegal assembly, association, protests, demonstrations, and gatherings which disrupt social order;

5.1.10 Promotes any activities in the name of illegal civil organizations;

5.1.11 Does not comply with the Interim Provisions on the Administration of the Development of Public Information Services Provided Through Instant Messaging Tools or does not meet the "Seven Basic Requirements" that is intended for the promotion of network civilization: laws must be obeyed; the socialist system must be upheld; national interests must be defended; citizens' legitimate rights and interests must be protected; public order must be maintained; social ethics must followed; and information authenticity must be guaranteed;

5.1.12 Contains any other content prohibited by laws and administrative regulations.

5.2 Content that infringes on other individual's legal rights.

5.2.1 Sending or spreading content that infringes upon the intellectual property rights of others, including but not limited to their copyrights, trademark rights, and patent rights;

5.2.2 Unauthorized posting of private personal information belonging to others, such as their ID card number, contact information, home address, Weixin ID, or photo, which infringes on their right to portrait, right to privacy, and other legal rights;

5.2.3 Public defamation of others by falsification, damaging their reputation or honor through insults or slander, and infringing on their right to reputation, right to honor, and other legal rights, including but not limited to celebrities' fans insulting or abusing each other; favoring a celebrity by defaming another celebrity; inciting conflicts between fans; or starting rumors about or abusing celebrities;

5.2.4 Unauthorized posting of a company's trade secrets, infringing on their legal rights;

5.2.5 Engaging in other acts that infringe upon the legal rights of others.

5.3 False information

False information, for the purpose of the Standards, refers to information that lacks a factual basis and is generated from fabrication or distortion of the facts and hiding of the truth, including but not limited to:

5.3.1 False political information that is contrary to the basic rules and the socialist system as determined by the Constitution, endangers national unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, leaks state secrets, endangers national security, or damages national honor and interests;

5.3.2 False information that incites national, regional, ethical, racial and inter-religion hatred, discrimination and misunderstanding, and weakens the community's morals;

For example: A magnitude 9.0 earthquake hit Japan this morning! If you are a Chinese person, spread this news!!!

5.3.3 False information that disrupts social order, causes or may cause public panic;

For example: “Shocking: Eating pork in China is the same as committing suicide!!”

“Please tell your friends and family to not eat seafood. It is urgent. Please forward this quickly.”

5.3.4 False information that advocates cults and feudal superstitions;

5.3.5 False information relating to common sense for life and public topics;

5.3.6 Other false information.

5.4 Harassment, incitement, exaggeration, or misleading information

Including but not limited to:

5.4.1 Titles that contain threats to physical safety, frightening or extreme views, or insulting, profane, or offensive words;

5.4.2 Statements that advocate for or against certain activities with exaggerative descriptions.

5.4.3 Invented, exaggerated stories that satisfy vulgar curiosity, provoke conflict, influence users' values, or instigate public sentiment, such as content that brags about wealth or exaggerates the experience of making quick money or achieving success.

5.5 Content that endangers the Platform security

5.5.1 Sending phishing sites and other such content that deceives users and causes them to suffer losses;

5.5.2 Sending viruses, files, computer codes, or programs that may damage or interrupt the normal operation of Weixin's messaging service.

5.6 Content that endangers the emotional and physical well-being of minors

Including but not limited to:

5.6.1 Harm, abuse, or corporal punishment of minors;

5.6.2 Sexual abuse of minors;

5.6.3 Bullying;

5.6.4 Other acts that endanger the safety or physical well-being of minors;

5.6.5 Promoting or demonstrating toys or items that may endanger the safety or physical well-being of minors;

5.6.6 Minors drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking drugs;

5.6.7 Revealing personal privacy of minors, or insulting the dignity of minors;

5.6.8 Marriage with minors or pregnant minors;

5.6.9 Promoting or encouraging truancy or dropout for minors;

5.6.10 Distortion of popular cartoon characters or works that are made for minors.

5.7 Extremely inappropriate content

Including but not limited to self-abuse, self-mutilation, suicide, murder, taking or injecting illicit drugs, maiming, shooting, stabbing, and the torture of humans or animals.

6. Compliance with Platform Rules

6.1 The Weixin Channels Platform will suspend the provision of services to the Channel account or its holder if (a) it repeatedly violates the Standards; (b) it may be involved in egregious violation of laws; or (c) Weixin reasonably believes that there have been practices that may seriously infringe on other Weixin users' legal rights.

6.2 A channel account can be verified. By authorizing the verification, a channel account owner agrees to accept and abide by the "Weixin Channels Operation Standards" and ["Terms

of Weixin Channels Verification Service"](https://mmportal-996.test.fed.weixin.woa.com/cgi-bin/readtemplate?t=finder_auth_privacy&lang=zh_CN). After the verification, the channel account will be considered to be used by the verified owner, who shall have all the rights and obligations to such channel account. A verified channel account owner shall manage the channel administrators and operators, and be responsible for all the activities they conduct under the channel. For an unverified channel, the owner of the Weixin account under which the channel was created shall have all the rights and obligations to such channel.

6.3 If the Platform identifies and reasonably believes that your account name, profile photo, introduction, background image, posted content, or any comment infringes on other users' rights (e.g. copyrighted information without authorization or content from unknown sources), the distribution of such information may be automatically restricted.

6.4 The following content should be clearly marked accordingly to avoid misleading and confusing other users: non-real audio and video content generated or synthesized using new technologies such as virtual reality and deep learning; staged or fictional content. We will take action against any account that posts such content without marking the content accordingly to attract viewers for inappropriate marketing purposes.

6.5 For any content you upload and post during the use of your channel, the intellectual property right, portrait right and other rights to the content will not be transferred. You understand and agree that the Platform will use your content to serve the purposes of product, including but not limited to allowing Weixin accounts to share, forward, add to Favorites, and reference or display your content in some Weixin features (such as Music Videos, Voice Calls, and Status), allowing Weixin Official Accounts ("Official Accounts") and WeCom accounts to cite or display your content, or allowing Tencent to recommend your content/media assets in any manner in Tencent products or via external means for publicizing you or introducing the Channels feature to other users. In some scenarios, you can set whether to allow the citation or display of your content. Any content that infringes upon the rights of others shall not be uploaded or posted. In the event of any violation of this rule, the Platform has the right to stop or restrict the promotion, sharing, and distribution of such content immediately.

6.6 You shall abide by the "Weixin Channels Live Feature Terms of Use" during your use of the Channels Live Feature; if you are a host, you shall also abide by the "Weixin Channels Live Conduct Standards".

7. Miscellaneous

7.1 The content on the Weixin Channels Platform is uploaded by users. Therefore, the Platform prohibits the dissemination of undesirable information and expects users to assess their content with discretion.

7.2 The Standards is subject to change. We reserve the right to modify or update the content thereof based on updates to applicable law or as necessary for product operation. Please review the Standards regularly to learn about the latest updates.

7.3 To submit an appeal, please send your supporting documents to channels@tencent.com. This email only accepts appeals against violation of rules in using Channels. For user complaints, submit them via corresponding entries in the Weixin app.

In the event of any discrepancy between the Simplified Chinese and English versions of the Standards, the Simplified Chinese version shall prevail.