Tencent did not respond to concerns about MyGate, a startup it is investing in
On 24 August 2023, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Tencent to respond to the concerns that a company it is investing in, MyGate, has not taken sufficient measures to ensure that its products are not improperly used to facilitate surveillance and harassment of vulnerable groups, who in this case are domestic workers.
As stated in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights, investors have a responsibility to use their leverage to ensure that those with whom they have business relationships, including portfolio companies, respect human rights. While MyGate’s co-founder, Abhishek Kumar, has commented that the app’s rating system may have brought in “too much transparency,” further information is needed regarding how MyGate is working to address the issue. We invited Tencent to share any steps it has taken to ensure greater accountability from the aforementioned company.