Award Banner
Award Banner

China's WeChat deletes university LGBT accounts

China's WeChat deletes university LGBT accounts
Small toy figures are seen in front of WeChat logo in this illustration picture taken on March 15, 2021.
PHOTO: Reuters

HONG KONG, July 7 - Chinese tech giant Tencent's WeChat social media platform has deleted dozens of LGBT accounts run by university students, saying some had broken rules on information on the internet, sparking fear of a crackdown on gay content online.

Members of several LGBT groups told Reuters that access to their accounts was blocked late on Tuesday and they later discovered that all of their content had been deleted.

"Many of us suffered at the same time," said the account manager of one group who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

"They censored us without any warning. All of us have been wiped out."

Attempts by Reuters to access some accounts were met with a notice from WeChat saying the groups "had violated regulations on the management of accounts offering public information service on the Chinese internet".

Other accounts did not show up in search results.

WeChat did not immediately respond to emailed questions.

While homosexuality, which was classified as a mental disorder until 2001, is legal in China, same sex marriage is not recognised. Social stigma and pressure still deter people from coming out.

This year, a court upheld a university's description of homosexuality as a "psychological disorder", ruling that it was not a factual error.

The LGBT community has repeatedly found itself falling foul of censors and the Cyberspace Administration of China recently pledged to clean up the internet to protect minors and crack down on social media groups deemed a "bad influence".

The Weibo social media platform, owned by Weibo Corp, has at times removed lesbian content and the online community board platform Zhihu has censored topics on gender and identity.

Last year, China's only pride festival was cancelled indefinitely after organisers cited concerns over staff safety.

"Authorities have been tightening the space available for LGBT advocacy and civil society generally. This is another turning of the screw,” said Darius Longarino, a senior fellow at Yale Law School's Paul Tsai's China Centre, who focuses on LGBT rights and gender equality.

homepage

trending

trending
    PM Wong unveils Cabinet line-up; new faces David Neo and Jeffrey Siow to be acting ministers
    Eleanor Lee's former assistant confesses to editing audio clip that landed actress in controversy
    Kopitiam offering 60-cent kopi-o and teh-o across 79 outlets from June to mark SG60
    'Global problems require global solutions': PM Wong stresses world coordination to tackle future health challenges
    Lady Gaga visits Maxwell Food Centre, signs fan's vinyl record
    Cool paint, clean power: These are the sustainable innovations that Temasek Foundation are backing for $2m
    SCDF rescues trapped driver from car following accident involving lorry along CTE
    'One reckless moment can destroy a life': Pet owner appeals to cyclists after hit-and-run leaves dog injured
    Ex-Mediacorp actress Le Yao condemns Ian Fang: 'You want the benefits from the limelight but don't set strict standards for yourself?'
    We head to China to check out how Singapore's top-selling car brand intends to transform the automotive industry
    Jurassic World, inflatable playgrounds and more: Family-friendly events and activities this June holiday
    Scandal-ridden Mickey Huang and actress wife Summer Meng said to have divorced

Singapore

Singapore
    • 'We apologise for the operational lapse': NUS responds to backlash over disposal of Yale-NUS books
    • SQ321 incident: One year on, passengers recall how extreme turbulence upended their lives
    • More than 3,000 new jobs in rail, bus sectors to be added to support expansion: Chee Hong Tat
    • Some monkeys trapped in Punggol last year euthanised due to 'aggressive' behaviour: NParks
    • Daily roundup: Cat A COE premiums remain above $100k despite slight dip in second bidding for May 2025 — and other top stories today
    • Daily roundup: Poultry supply in Singapore not affected by bird flu outbreak in Brazil, supermarkets say — and other top stories today
    • Singaporean Amos Yee's parole from US jail delayed after he violated terms of release
    • Beach Road slashing: Man pleads guilty to attempted murder of wife in 2022
    • Singaporean Malone Lam charged in US for orchestrating $340m crypto theft
    • Poultry supply in Singapore not affected by bird flu outbreak in Brazil, supermarkets say

Entertainment

Entertainment
    • Star Awards 2025 celebrates 30th anniversary with every All-Time Favourite Artiste reuniting on stage
    • Babymonster, Gigi Leung, Elva Hsiao and other stars spotted at Lady Gaga's Singapore concerts
    • 'I told him not to be too ruthless': Mark Lee responds to Addy Lee's fallout with Quan Yi Fong
    • 'Sorry for bad drawing': Yim Si-wan plays games with Singapore fans, shares South Korea travel tips
    • US singer Chris Brown granted $8.6 million bail for world tour by UK court
    • Miley Cyrus unwilling to remove 'very large' polyp on vocal cord in case it changes her voice
    • David Beckham says receiving a knighthood would be an 'unbelievable honour'
    • Violet Affleck was stuck in a hotel room arguing with her mother Jennifer Garner during the California wildfires
    • Stolen memorial bust of Jim Morrison found
    • Gordon Ramsay annoyed daughter is 'getting taught to cook' by someone else

Lifestyle

Lifestyle
    • Back with a bang: Burgs ends 2-year hiatus with new standalone restaurant at Arab Street
    • 'You asked, we listened': Don Don Donki brings back plastic bags
    • Furry capabara EVs, self-driving mini bar, and more - here are the wackiest cars we saw at Auto Shanghai 2025
    • Heiress Kim Lim 'disappointed' after finding Chanel bag she sold for charity listed on Carousell
    • Cat A COE premiums remain above $100k despite slight dip in second bidding for May 2025
    • New theme park to open in Japan's Okinawa this July offering scenic treks, hot air balloon rides and more
    • We check out Hiap Joo Bakery's new vending machine selling its famous banana cake
    • Singapore's beef kway teow ranks 18th in best stir-fried dishes list, Indonesia's sambal goreng takes crown
    • 7 toilet door ideas for all types of spaces
    • Things to do in Nagoya, Japan: A cultural guide to arts, music and markets

Digicult

Digicult
    • World's best Dota 2 teams to compete for $1m prize pool in Singapore in November
    • A $500 wake-up call: How the Samsung Galaxy Ring made me realise my stress
    • Monster Hunter Wilds producer explains how game has remained unique and fresh over 20 years
    • Google Pixel 9a: The best AI-centric phone under $800 in 2025?
    • Western intelligence agencies warn spyware threat targeting Taiwan, Tibetan rights advocates
    • Taiwan says China using generative AI to ramp up disinformation and 'divide' the island
    • Russian court fines Telegram app for refusal to remove anti-government content, TASS reports
    • One Beijing man's quest to keep cooking — and connecting with Americans — on camera
    • Nintendo Switch 2 to launch in June with US$449.99 price tag
    • Games in April: RPGs, racing and Ronaldo in a fighting game

Money

Money
    • Wall Street equity indexes close higher after US-China tariff truce
    • Giant deal: Malaysian company to acquire Cold Storage and Giant supermarket chains in Singapore
    • This rare HDB maisonette in Queenstown just set a $1.51m record: Here's why
    • HDB BTO July 2025 review: Locations, resale, values, amenities and more
    • Selling your condo? This overlooked factor could quietly undercut your selling price
    • Using a personal loan for a used car purchase: What you need to know
    • 6 prime HDB shophouses for sale at $73m in Singapore: A look inside the rare portfolio
    • Croatia's Game of Thrones filming sites face threat from Trump tariffs
    • A new high in Choa Chu Kang: $690k for a 4-room flat
    • SIA rewards staff with over 7 months' bonus after record $2.8b full-year profit

Latest

Latest
  • Russia says it downed hundreds of Ukrainian drones, briefly shuts Moscow airports
  • Philippines' Marcos asks cabinet secretaries to resign to enable reset 
  • Aid trucks enter Gaza after delays, as pressure mounts on Israel
  • Trump calls his own foreign aid cuts at Usaid 'devastating' 
  • Detained Columbia student protester must be allowed to meet with wife, judge rules
  • Torrential rain ravages Australian towns, thousands brace for isolation 
  • Second Oval Office ambush by Trump could make foreign leaders think twice 
  • G7 finance leaders try to downplay tariff disputes, find consensus 
  • US sanctions 4 Cuban officials for jailing political dissident 

In Case You Missed It

In Case You Missed It
  • No joke: Bangkok condo resident releases snakes in corridor to protest neighbour's noisy dog
  • 'Only one chance at life': Chinese student, 18, misses exam to save classmate suffering heart attack
  • Baby suspected to have been eaten by monitor lizard in Thailand, only head found
  • 'Dog will return soon': GE2025 independent candidate Jeremy Tan wants to contest again
  • Ong Ye Kung leads PAP team to victory while elder brother Howard Ong loses in Australia's election on the same day
  • Tan Kiat How weighs in on viral video of Gan Kim Yong being ignored by passers-by in Punggol
  • PSP's Tan Cheng Bock turns 85; SDP's Paul Tambyah joins celebration at Teban Gardens
  • PM Wong urges voters to 'choose leaders of good character' in PAP's first party political broadcast
  • It is 'important for Singapore's democracy' that WP wins more seats, says Pritam in election broadcast
This website is best viewed using the latest versions of web browsers.