Tencent Tightens Investment Content on WeChat Channels, Creators Must Be Certified
JAKARTA - Tencent introduced new rules for financial content creators on its platform, WeChat Channels, as a new step to tighten oversight of investment-related uploads.
Starting this Wednesday, this rule is designed to create a more "authoritative and reliable" financial information ecosystem, while reducing retail investment risks and protecting user assets.
Under the rules, account owners who claim to be professionals in the field of finance are required to undergo formal verification, which includes professional certification or institutional authentication, with supporting documents that must be submitted through the platform.
Meanwhile, for creators who already have personal professional certification, people who appear in investment-related content must also match the verified identity.
This rule also targets the misuse of credentials, by prohibiting the practice of selling, borrowing, or unauthorized affiliation of professional qualifications.
Launching China Daily, creators are prohibited from passing platform checks by renting licenses, falsifying documents, or using third-party certifications.
Account owners must also immediately update or revoke their verification if their employment status changes, or if their credentials expire or are deleted.
In terms of content, WeChat Channels encourages creators to present neutral, professional, and data-based financial information, accompanied by clear risk disclosure and the use of standardized terms.
The rules also establish eight categories of prohibited content, namely recommendations for stock selection, claims of certain profits, market manipulation narratives, promotion of financial services without a license, false support, low-quality repetitive content, marketing of high-risk products such as NFTs, and attempts to divert users to outside the platform to transact.
The platform also encourages creators to create content in the form of macroeconomic analysis and industry insights rather than just speculative tips.