China freezes new Tencent apps, updates for data privacy review

Tencent has been targeted by the MIIT because nine of its products were found on four previous occasions to violate data protection rules, triggering the freeze, the people said. — Reuters

Tencent Holdings Ltd has been ordered to stop rolling out new apps, as China’s tech industry regulator reviews their compliance with new privacy laws introduced this month, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has also ordered a temporary halt to updates of existing apps, though current versions of products can still be downloaded and used, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information hasn’t been made public. Tencent, which owns the WeChat super-app and QQ messaging service, said in a statement that it’s working to enhance user protection features within its apps and regularly cooperates with relevant government agencies to ensure compliance.