WeChat users look to Japan's Line for alternative as US ban looms
As Washington scrutinizes Chinese chat giant, downloads of rival surge
PALO ALTO, U.S./HONG KONG -- After the Trump administration announced it would look into banning Chinese social media apps, much of the attention focused on TikTok, the wildly popular platform for sharing short videos. But it is far from alone.
Chinese messaging giant WeChat, owned by Tencent Holdings, has also become a target of Washington's scrutiny, and the possibility of a U.S. ban on the app is already benefiting competitors as users search for "safe" alternatives.
Li Wen is a diehard WeChat user, but when more than a dozen of her friends started setting up accounts on Line, a Japanese messaging app, in July, she decided to do the same.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/WeChat-users-look-to-Japan-s-Line-for-alternative-as-US-ban-looms
#asia #china #japan #wechat #line
As Washington scrutinizes Chinese chat giant, downloads of rival surge
PALO ALTO, U.S./HONG KONG -- After the Trump administration announced it would look into banning Chinese social media apps, much of the attention focused on TikTok, the wildly popular platform for sharing short videos. But it is far from alone.
Chinese messaging giant WeChat, owned by Tencent Holdings, has also become a target of Washington's scrutiny, and the possibility of a U.S. ban on the app is already benefiting competitors as users search for "safe" alternatives.
Li Wen is a diehard WeChat user, but when more than a dozen of her friends started setting up accounts on Line, a Japanese messaging app, in July, she decided to do the same.
https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Companies/WeChat-users-look-to-Japan-s-Line-for-alternative-as-US-ban-looms
#asia #china #japan #wechat #line
Nikkei Asia
WeChat users look to Japan's Line for alternative as US ban looms
As Washington scrutinizes Chinese chat giant, downloads of rival surge