Cracking down on smoking violations through apps

People can submit tips and complaints regarding behavior that violates the city's anti-smoking law through online platforms like WeChat public account and app, said the Shanghai Health Commission, which encourages public participation to improve local smoking-control measures.

Shanghai prohibits smoking in all public indoor venues, workplaces and public transportation.

After logging onto the apps of Wuyan Shanghai, or non-smoking Shanghai, and Jiankangyun, or health cloud, as well as the Wuyan Shanghai WeChat account, people can upload evidence such as pictures of people smoking in non-smoking venues in a section called Smoking-Control Map.

Health authorities will carry out investigation immediately.

According to the Shanghai Health Promotion Commission, developer of the program, it leverages big data to interpret the map, which uses different colors based on the frequency and quantity of tips to give alerts, warnings and provide monitoring.

The commission will regularly release the list of public venues receiving complaints for supervision.