WeChat cracks down on websites forcing users to click to read the full text

WeChat has begun to crack down on third-party web page forced jumps, prohibiting the use of functions that provide inducement or forced clicks to jump to read the full text, and all illegal diversion websites will be blocked!

WeChat said that recently a large number of users complained that when opening third-party website links in WeChat, they were always induced or forced to click to read the full text of the link. This is not WeChat's fault. WeChat fully supports opening and reading third-party web pages in WeChat. This is the third-party platform's own use of technical means to limit page browsing channels in order to maliciously reverse WeChat traffic and induce users to jump to their platform. This has seriously affected the user experience!

In response to malicious back-channeling by third-party platforms, WeChat requires all third-party web page external link service providers to check whether there are any related problems in their external links and make corrections according to the following two points before December 20:

1: Any web page is prohibited from providing inducement or forced clicks to jump to read the full text, clicks to download the APP to read the full text, or implies clicks to jump to a third-party web page to receive prizes, and any other reverse flow behaviors such as exaggerating the article title, not matching the title with the text, and inducing users to jump out of the visit.

2: Any third-party platform is prohibited from impersonating the names, icons, and themes of Tencent's own products to induce users to jump to their own websites or platforms.

Moreover, starting from the early morning of December 21, 2020, if any external links from third-party websites violate these regulations and maliciously divert WeChat traffic, once complained by users, these websites will no longer be provided with the service of directly opening them within WeChat. The illegal diversion websites will be blocked. If users want to visit these external links, they must paste them into the browser to access them.

Regarding WeChat's crackdown on third-party webpages forcing redirects, some netizens said: It is really unbearable to have to redirect to read news or download an APP. Moreover, major Internet platforms are now using their own traffic. It is understandable that WeChat does not want others to use their traffic. In the future, Baidu, NetEase and some micro-business websites that want to use WeChat's traffic will have no chance to do so. They will probably be punished!