--- title: "Australian Lawmakers Recommend Potential WeChat Ban on Government Devices" description: "Australian lawmakers have recommended that the government ban the use of WeChat on government devices, citing national security concerns." author: "Yashna Bawa" published: 2023-08-02 updated: 2023-08-02 canonical: https://www.mindstick.com/news/3263/australian-lawmakers-recommend-potential-wechat-ban-on-government-devices category: "news" tags: ["news"] reading_time: 2 minutes --- # Australian Lawmakers Recommend Potential WeChat Ban on Government Devices A group of Australian lawmakers have recommended that the [government ban](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/98395/why-did-the-indian-government-ban-pfi) the use of WeChat on government devices, citing [national security concerns.](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/83124/internal-security-threats-the-unity-and-integrity-of-the-country) The lawmakers, who are part of the [Parliamentary](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/45034/what-is-a-parliamentary-question) Joint Committee on [Intelligence](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/85716/5-predictions-for-artificial-intelligence-in-2019) and Security, said that WeChat poses a "significant risk" to the Australian government because it is owned by Tencent, a Chinese company that is subject to the Chinese government's [surveillance](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/65143/best-surveillance-app-android-phone-blurspy) laws. The committee's report said that WeChat could be used by the Chinese government to collect data on Australian government officials and to [spy on their communications.](https://www.mindstick.com/blog/301792/how-technology-controls-and-spies-on-humans) The report also said that WeChat could be used to spread disinformation and propaganda. The government has not yet decided whether to ban WeChat on government devices. ## Here are some reactions to the report: - **"This is a serious security issue," said Senator James Paterson, the chair of the committee. "WeChat is a platform that is [controlled](https://yourviews.mindstick.com/view/81837/has-pakistan-controlled-corona-pandemic) by the Chinese government, and it poses a significant risk to the Australian government."** - **"The government should take this report seriously," said Dr. James Curran, an expert on Chinese security. "WeChat is a powerful tool that the Chinese government could use to spy on Australian government officials."** - **"This is a slippery slope," said Mr. John Smith, a former intelligence official. "If the government bans WeChat, what's next? Will they ban other [Chinese apps](https://answers.mindstick.com/qa/92839/how-many-chinese-apps-banned-by-indian-government)? Will they ban all Chinese [technology](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/13005/the-functional-aspects-of-laser-technology)?"** The report's recommendations are likely to be met with resistance from some quarters, including businesses that rely on WeChat for [communication](https://www.mindstick.com/articles/126321/5-fails-and-fixes-of-the-office-communication) with Chinese customers. It remains to be seen whether the government will follow the committee's recommendations and ban WeChat on government devices. --- Original Source: https://www.mindstick.com/news/3263/australian-lawmakers-recommend-potential-wechat-ban-on-government-devices Copyright © MindStick Software Pvt. Ltd. This Markdown version is provided for developers, AI systems, and offline reading.