Beijing prosecutors file lawsuit against Tencent over WeChat's 'youth mode'

Beijing prosecutors filed a civil public-interest lawsuit against a Tencent subsidiary on Friday, saying the "youth mode" on the company's popular social messaging app WeChat does not comply with laws protecting minors.

The lawsuit was filed by Beijing's Haidian District People's Procuratorate against Shenzhen Tencent Computer Systems Co Ltd, according to a filing posted on JCRB.com, a website run by China's top prosecutor.

The filing did not say how WeChat's "youth mode" broke Chinese law. 

Tecent's WeChat team said on China's Twitter-like Weibo later in the day that it would carefully examine its "youth mode" and sincerely respond to the civil public interest litigation.

The "youth mode" introduced in October 2020 limits young users' access to some games, videos, mini programs and functions, such as payments or live streaming.

Chinese authorities have called for minors to be better protected from online dangers.

Tencent on Tuesday announced new curbs on minors' access to its flagship video game, "Honor of Kings," after its shares were battered by a state media article that described online games as "spiritual opium."