"Tencent denies storing WeChat records after Chinese billionaire reportedly questions monitoring", 2 January 2018

Tencent Holdings, whose WeChat messaging app has more than 1 billion users worldwide, said it does not store any user chat histories, after Chinese automotive industry tycoon Li Shufu reportedly slammed the company for invading user privacy.

The contents of WeChat conversations are stored only on the user’s mobile phone, computer or other terminal devices, WeChat said…The social media app also does not use any of the content for Big data analysis…As WeChat neither stores nor analyses users’ chat content, it is purely a misconception to say that “we are watching your WeChat every day”, according to the statement…

Li Yi, a researcher at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences internet research centre, said it was amusing to learn that while Chinese telecommunications operators all store users’ messages for a long time, Tencent…said it never stores any users’ chat. “…It should be the government’s requirement to monitor and track their conversations for the public good,” said Li. “How could WeChat fulfil the government’s task if it does not store or analyse conversations from its users?”

Tencent did not immediately respond to an email request for further comment on the company’s policy on providing information to the police or other authorities… [Also mentions Facebook, Huawei & WhatsApp]