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Cybercrime Trends to Watch Out for in 2024

November 16, 2023

Innovative new technologies, together with an increasingly connected world, are delivering far-reaching benefits, such as fueling economic growth, democratizing digital technologies and promoting access to information for all.

However, this goes hand-in-hand with new challenges. As technologies advance and connectivity becomes ubiquitous, private and public sector entities (and the people who work in them) grow increasingly vulnerable to dangerous and indiscriminate cyber attacks.

In fact, cyber threats and cyber crime have been steadily on the rise in the last few years, and there’s no reason to assume that it will slow down any time soon. Cybercrime is growing exponentially, with analysts predicting that global cybercrime damage costs will grow by 15% per year, to reach $10.5-trillion by 2025.

Industry experts will unpack the major cybersecurity trends that they believe businesses need to know about

Today’s adversaries are more sophisticated and cunning than ever. They have deep pockets and can develop complex, targeted tools capable of evading many security nets. This means companies need to ramp up their cyber defences by embedding security into every aspect of the business.

They also need to have incident response plans in place to ensure they are prepared for the worst-case scenario in which malefactors successfully compromise their networks.

However, this is no mean feat. The CISO’s job is soaring in terms of complexity, as a greater number of employees are now working on a hybrid or remote basis and in a world of “bring your own everything be it a device, application, cloud or connection.

Clever businesses understand that forewarned is forearmed, and with this in mind, ICTGlobe Managed Services, in conjunction with TechCentral, is hosting a Lunch & Learn session on 23 November at Marriott Melrose Arch. During the session, industry experts will unpack the major cybersecurity trends that they believe businesses need to know about and will share some predictions to keep companies on high alert in the new year.

Generative AI

For example, generative AI has seen an unprecedented uptake. Within a matter of months of ChatGPT’s launch a year ago, it boasted some 100M users. And while this tool is proving highly useful in many ways, it’s also likely to become an even greater cyberthreat in 2024, because it can be exploited to write malicious code and create advanced phishing emails that are so well put together they are able to defy all but the closest scrutiny.

The event will unpack a range of other topics, such as how e-mail remains a major threat vector and focus area for defence; and how the expanded identity landscape is presenting weaknesses for threat actors to exploit. It will delve into how hybrid environments and shadow IT are increasing endpoint blind spots, as well as the proliferation of IoT devices and what this means for cybersecurity.

Delegates will also look at cloud security, its challenges and who is ultimately responsible; as well as how securing the external attack surface has become an internet-scale challenge.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Israel Attacks Plans by Starlink to Provide Connectivity to Gaza

November 2, 2023

Israel has reacted negatively to a tweet by SpaceX that it will support connectivity to internationally aid organizations in Gaza. According to reports, Israel did not receive Elon Musk’s decision with open arms. In a statement by Israel’s telecom minister Shlomo Karhi said, “We will use ALL MEANS to FIGHT this!”

In response to this Elon Musk said that, no Starlink terminal has attempted to connect from Gaza. Tweeting on behalf of Starlink, Musk affirmed, “If one does, we will take extraordinary measures to confirm that it is used only for purely humanitarian reasons. Moreover, we will do a security check with both the US and Israeli governments before turnin on even a single terminal.”

Shlomo Karhi’s stern response seems to be rooted in deep concerns over the possibility of HAMAS using the connectivity for terrorist activities that might accelerate its advances in the conflict. In his response to Musk’s decision, he said: “HAMAS will use it for terrorist activities. There is no doubt about it, we know it, and Musk knows it.”

He went on further to say that perhaps Musk would be willing to condition it with the release of the country’s abducted babies, sons, daughters, and elderly people, concluding that by then Isreal’s telecommunications office will cut any ties with Starlink.

Major organizations that are currently providing aid to Gaza are the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, and Doctors Without Borders.

UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees) is the largest humanitarian operation on the ground in Gaza. According to Business Insider Africa, Rwanda provided Gaza with 16 tonnes of food items, medicines, and medical supplies through its contributions to the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation (JHCO).

In a statement given to the British news agency BBC, the Rwanda government’s deputy spokesperson, Alain Mukuralinda said that the donation was made, “In support of the ongoing international rescue effort.” he added, “Rwanda reiterates the need for a de-escalation to protect the lives of innocent civilians.”

Reports indicate that their have been several connectivity breaches in the Gaza strip since the onset of the unfolding conflict. Yesterday, internet monitoring firm NetBlocks released metrics on Twitter that shows a brief disruption to internet service in parts of the Gaza Strip with indications of recovery.

NetBlocks confirmed that communications in conflict areas are heavily affected by air strikes and damaged infrastructure as well as a near-total outage on Friday that are attributed to measures imposed by Israel.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

TikTok Rises to New Heights, Achieves Record Milestone

TikTok, most popular social media platform for GenZ and younger people is gaining new heights as older generations latch into its appealing video-sharing interface. Six years after its debut, TikTok continues to captivate audiences around the globe. Rather than waning, the video-sharing platform’s popularity is ascending, poised to achieve record-breaking download figures this year.

Recent data from OnlyAccounts.io reveals that TikTok has garnered nearly 770 million downloads during the first nine months of 2023, a staggering increase of 100 million downloads compared to the same period last year.

TikTok’s Remarkable Ascent

TikTok’s meteoric rise in the social media landscape is nothing short of astounding. Over the past six years, its user base has multiplied fivefold, surpassing 1.9 billion users. This remarkable growth has positioned TikTok as the world’s most valuable social media brand, surpassing even Facebook.

TikTok founder — TikTok and co-founder of ByteDance , Zhang Yiming

Unveiling its true dominance, TikTok is on the cusp of setting a new download record for 2023, signaling an enduring grip on the social media space. According to Statista and AppMagic data, TikTok tallied almost 770 million downloads in the first nine months of 2023, marking a 16% increase over the same period in 2022.

To put this into perspective, with three months left in the year, TikTok trailed the 2022 download total by only 88 million, with the latter totaling 858 million downloads.

Comparing these figures to the record-breaking year of 2020 for TikTok, the contrast is even more striking. In 2020, the app registered 802.5 million downloads during the first nine months, a figure that outpaces 2023 by 32 million downloads.

By the end of 2020, TikTok concluded with nearly 985 million downloads, marking the highest number in its history. The surge in downloads during 2023 underscores TikTok’s position as the fastest-growing platform in the social media landscape.

Record In-App Purchase Revenue

Apart from its impressive download numbers, TikTok is also setting a record in in-app purchase (IAP) revenue for the year. According to Statista and AppMagic data, TikTok users have spent nearly $2 billion on the app during the first nine months of 2023, indicating a remarkable 62% increase compared to the same period last year. Notably, Q3 2023 recorded the highest IAP revenue in TikTok’s history, exceeding $680 million.

These extraordinary figures come on the heels of remarkable growth in 2021 and 2022 when TikTok generated over $2.5 billion in IAP revenue, a 50% increase compared to the $1.68 billion reported in 2021.

TikTok’s sustained and unparalleled success demonstrates its enduring appeal and ability to captivate users and advertisers alike. As it continues to break records in downloads and revenue, TikTok is solidifying its place as a dominant force in the social media sphere, and its global influence shows no signs of diminishing.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Southern African Countries Are Getting Starlink, Except South Africa

October 27, 2023

There are indications that virtually all Southern African countries – except South Africa – will have access to Starlink services by the end of next year. This is part of recent changes to the coverage map on the Starlink website suggest that all nations in Southern Africa – with the notable exception of South Africa – will have access to the low-Earth orbit internet service provided by the SpaceX subsidiary by the end of next year.

According to the latest update to starlink.com/map, all countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region will get Starlink next year – again, except for the largest economy in the region. Hovering over South Africa on the map still produces a pop-up that says: “Service date is unknown at this time.”

Communications regulator Icasa met with SpaceX officials on two occasions to discuss a possible South African launch for Starlink, TechCentral has reported previously. However, SpaceX has not filed a formal licence application that would allow it to operate Starlink services within the country’s borders.

Starlink launch dates, according to the company’s website:

Angola Starting Q3 2024

Zambia Available

Malawi Available

Mozambique Available

Namibia Starting 2024

Botswana Starting Q3 2024

Lesotho Starting Q2 2024

South Africa Service date unknown

Eswatini Staring Q4 2023

Zimbabwe Starting Q2 2024

Tanzania Starting Q2 2024

Madagascar Starting Q2 2024

Mauritius Staring in 2024

DRC Starting in 2024

SpaceX has not given any formal reason for backing off. But in April, Dianne Kohler Barnard – at the time the Democratic Alliance spokeswoman on communications – blamed the ANC’s equity ownership requirements for effectively blocking SpaceX’s entry into local market.

Raed also : African Agritech Accelerator Returns for Round Two, Backed by Endeavor and FMO

Barnard was referring to the Electronic Communication Act, which requires “individual ECS” and “individual ECNS” licensees to have a minimum 30% equity ownership held by persons from historically disadvantaged groups, which include black people, women, youth and people with disabilities.

“It is simply laughable that an international, multibillion-dollar company must hand over at least 30% of its equity to the ANC government to operate within South Africa,” Kohler Barnard said.

Communications minister Mondli Gungubele took umbrage at Kohler Barndard’s comments. “It is not true that government is blocking the operation of Starlink in South Africa. Any interested party wishing to apply for a licence, including Starlink, may through appropriate channels, approach the authority with its application and comply with the prevailing legislation in the country,” he said.

However, Kohler Barnard’s prediction that South Africa might become the only African country not to offer Starlink to consumers seems to be coming true. Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Kenya and most recently Zambia have all beaten South Africa to the punch. It looks like the rest of the SADC region will now leave South Africa in the dust as well.

Internet access as a percentage of population varies widely across Africa. It is interesting to note that the African countries that have already deployed Starlink have internet penetration rates of less than 40%, with the exception of Nigeria at 55%. In South Africa, the figure is around 70%, including access via mobile devices.

Aggressive fibre infrastructure deployment in areas that already had good mobile penetration has empowered South African consumers and placed downward pressure on pricing of both fixed and mobile broadband services. This has led to the progressive commoditisation of internet access, with the added effect of broadening access. The introduction of Starlink in South Africa could further liberalise the market to the consumer’s benefit and push prices down even further.

Also, there are regions of the country where the business case for both fibre and mobile broadband infrastructure doesn’t make economic sense. If people in these areas are going to have reliable access to the internet, low-Earth orbit satellite services like Starlink may be the only viable option for providing it. Starlink launched its first satellite in 2019 and now has just over 4 500 satellites in orbit.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Bitcoin Breaks 2023 Records to Highest Leap in The Year

October 25, 2023

Cryptocurrencies extended gains in Asia trade on Tuesday, with bitcoin rallying to an almost 18-month high on speculation that an exchange-traded bitcoin fund is imminent. Bitcoin rose more than 6% to US$35 198, its highest since May 2022. It had surged 10% on Monday in its best session for almost a year and its price has doubled in 2023.

Crypto-linked shares such as Coinbase Global or bitcoin owner MicroStrategy rose in after-hours trade. Cryptocurrency ether broke above $1 800.

Investment giant BlackRock is among several firms with pending applications for bitcoin funds

An exchange-traded fund (ETF) owning bitcoin on behalf of fund investors is seen as a driver of demand because it would allow anyone reluctant to trade crypto markets a means of buying exposure to bitcoin through the stock market.

Investment giant BlackRock is among several firms with pending applications for bitcoin funds in the US and speculation on their likely approval was fuelled by BlacRock’s iShares ETF listing on the website of clearing house DTCC.

Anticipation has also grown after reports this month that the gatekeeper, the US Securities and Exchange Commission, won’t appeal a court ruling it had been wrong to reject an ETF application from Grayscale Investments.

“The value of an asset … any asset basically, is the amount of people using it. So the ETF would make a large audience and increase liquidity,” said Steen Jakobsen, CIO at Saxo.

Bitcoin short-covering

It was not clear when or why the iShares ETF was added to the DTCC list. DTCC and BlackRock did not immediately respond to requests for comment by phone and e-mail. Last week, BlackRock denied an erroneous report that its ETF was approved and sources close to the SEC confirmed the application was still pending.

Data on crypto derivatives analysis site Coinglass showed heavy bitcoin short-covering in the last 24 hours.

The move also comes as concern ripples through the broader markets about the risk of Israel’s war with the Islamist group Hamas becoming a wider regional conflict.

Kyle Rodda, analyst at Capital.com said that the conflict and radical Javier Milei emerging as frontrunner for Argentina’s presidency could also have helped demand for bitcoin, which can sometimes behave as a store of wealth during times of crisis.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

X Will Become ‘Read Only’ for New Non-Paying Users

October 24, 2023

The owner of X, formerly known as Twitter has said that the microbloging site has said that it will soon launch two new tiers of premium subscriptions. “One is lower cost with all features, but no reduction in ads, and the other is more expensive, but has no ads,” Musk said on a post on X. Musk did not provide more detail on the subscription plans.

Earlier this week, the company started charging new users US$1 in New Zealand and the Philippines as a test case for accessing the platform. New users who opted out of subscribing will only be able to take ‘read-only’ actions.

New users who opted out of subscribing will only be able to take “read-only” actions, such as: read posts, watch videos and follow accounts, the company said in its website.

Its “Not A Bot” subscription method aims to reduce spam, manipulation of the platform and bot activity.

Since taking over the platform in October 2022, Musk’s rapid changes, including mass layoffs and disbanding content moderation teams, has led to advertisers halting ads on the service.

Musk has acknowledged that the platform has taken a hit on revenue and has blamed activists for pressuring advertisers.

To generate revenue, Musk started charging $8/month for the blue check subscription service and tried to woo advertisers back to X with offers of discounts.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) Welcomes First Aid Into Gaza

October 23, 2023

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is very pleased that the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into Gaza was opened briefly on Saturday morning.

Twenty is a tiny number of trucks given the needs in Gaza, but it is better than nothing and represents hope. We now call on all parties to allow in further vehicles to ensure regular aid into Gaza, where it is desperately needed.

On the trucks were medicines and food. The life-saving supplies were provided by the Egyptian Red Crescent and the United Nations and received by the Palestine Red Crescent with the support of the United Nations.

We ask that further aid includes fuel for hospitals as well as water. We also ask that safe passage is ensured so that aid can be delivered wherever in Gaza it is needed most.

Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General of the IFRC said:

“We’re grateful that the Egyptian and Palestine Red Crescent societies have been able to help get the first humanitarian supplies into Gaza. But the ongoing humanitarian needs in Gaza are immense. Much more aid will be needed to meet them.”

Marwan Jilani, the Director General of the Palestine Red Crescent said: “The operation went relatively well but this is just a drop in the ocean relative to the needs of Gaza. The Egyptian Red Crescent has many trucks that are packed – they are loaded – and they are waiting to get into Gaza anytime we are given the green light to go. From the Palestine Red Crescent side, we are ready to receive.”

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Netflix Hikes Prices in Key Markets

October 21, 2023

Netflix has announced an increment in subscription prices for some streaming plans as it reported strong subscriber growth. This new plans will take effect in select markets such as the US, the UK and France as it shattered expectations for new customers, sending its shares surging 13%.

Almost nine million subscribers joined Netflix around the globe in the third quarter, surpassing Wall Street analysts’ forecast for six million, according to LSEG. Netflix said it expected a similar number of additions in the current quarter.

The strong performance showed Netflix was thriving despite Hollywood labour tensions that shut down a large section of US production. Netflix makes many of its shows and movies overseas, which accounted for the bulk of its new sign-ups.

Subscriber gains came in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where Netflix added nearly four million subscribers.

Netflix pointed to the global success of One Piece, a live-action adaptation of the venerable Japanese manga series and an example of its hefty investment in stories with local resonance that travel the world. The streaming giant also attracted new audiences to long-running television shows, such as the legal drama Suits, which it licensed from Comcast, and HBO’s World War 2 series Band of Brothers.

“These are the times I’m glad we have such a rich and deep and broad programming selection,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said after the release of the quarterly results. “The same was true during Covid, when we were able to manage the slate through a prolonged and pretty unpredictable production interruption.”

Hollywood’s film and television writers ratified a new contract this month, but actors remain on strike. Sarandos said Netflix was “totally committed to ending this strike”.

The company’s third-quarter customer gains represented its strongest quarterly uptick since the second quarter of 2020, when lockdowns early in the global pandemic led to an unprecedented surge in streaming subscriptions.

Netflix increased the US price of its premium ad-free plan by US$3/month to $22.99. The cost for premium rose by 2 pounds to 17.99 pounds in Britain and by £2 to £19.99 in France.

Investors welcomed the news, sending Netflix shares climbing to $390.80 in extended trading from a close of $346.19.

PP Foresight analyst Paolo Pescatore said the third-quarter growth at Netflix was a testament to its recent crackdown on password sharing and the opportunities for growth as it moves into advertising. “It is firing on all cylinders, with recent efforts all heading in the right direction.”

The price hikes were announced in an earnings report that showed the company’s global subscriber base reached 247 million at the end of September.

Substantial subscriber gains came in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, where Netflix added nearly four million subscribers. More than 70% of its members now reside outside the US.

Netflix games During the quarter, Suits became the most-watched title across film, original TV and acquired TV on streaming in the US for 12 straight weeks after it hit Netflix. The series, starring Prince Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, originally aired on the USA cable network from 2011 to 2019.

“As the competitive environment evolves, we may have increased opportunities to license more hit titles,” Netflix said in its quarterly letter to shareholders.

The company posted revenue of $8.54-billion, in line with analyst forecasts. Earnings came in at $3.73.share, ahead of Wall Street’s expectation of $3.49. Netflix’s forecast for fourth-quarter revenue of $8.69-billion was slightly below analysts’ estimates of $8.77-billion.

The writer and actor strikes prompted Netflix to revise its projections on content spending to $13-billion in 2023, assuming the studios reach a settlement with striking actors “in the near future”. That was down from the $17-billion it expected to spend.

Netflix said it continued to dominate viewership. Netflix programming accounted for 8% of television screen time, second only to YouTube, the company said, citing Nielsen data.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Bolt Plans on Transforming Businesses with Fast, Affordable, and Secure Mobility Solutions

October 18, 2023

Nonso Onwuzulike, Bolt Country Manager for Ghana.

In the contemporary business landscape, the rapid advancements in technology have opened the doors to transformative possibilities, especially evident in the nation of Tunisia. One of the most compelling developments has been the integration of mobility solutions into various sectors, offering unparalleled opportunities for enhancing logistics efficiency and real-time monitoring. This confluence of innovation and practicality is reshaping the way Tunisian businesses operate, fostering efficiency, competitiveness, and sustainable growth.

Tunisia, with its dynamic and diverse economy, has embraced mobility solutions with open arms. From transportation and logistics to manufacturing and healthcare, businesses across the spectrum are experiencing the profound impact of these technologies. Traditional modes of operation often come with hefty overheads, stemming from factors such as manual processes, communication inefficiencies, and resource mismanagement. Mobility solutions are rewriting this narrative by optimizing workflows, streamlining operations, and minimizing resource wastage.

Bolt, the leading on demand mobility platform in Europe and Africa, has tapped into the ever changing transportation sector in Tunisia with a focus on making urban travel affordable, safe, and more reliable. Since its inception in 2013 by visionary entrepreneur Markus Villig, Bolt has expanded to over 45 countries worldwide, serving a diverse range of mobility needs, including ride-hailing, micro-mobility, food delivery, and business travel.

In line with its commitment to providing comprehensive transportation solutions, Bolt offers a dedicated solution for businesses, known as Bolt Business, specifically designed to meet the unique needs of enterprises. With Bolt Business, companies can effortlessly manage their employees’ ground transportation, allowing them to book rides on the company’s account while maintaining a transparent overview of routes and travel expenses, all in one centralized platform. By seamlessly connecting their Bolt app accounts to the business account, employees can easily switch their payment method to the business account for any corporate rides.

Ola Akinnusi, the Bolt Country Manager in Kenya

Mobility solutions such as the Bolt Business services which are equipped with real-time tracking, GPS navigation, and route optimization algorithms empower businesses to optimize their operations, reduce travel costs, and enhance resource utilization. By cutting down on unnecessary costs, businesses can allocate resources more strategically, subsequently boosting their bottom lines.

Real-time monitoring, another hallmark of mobility solutions, has catalyzed a paradigm shift in how Tunisian businesses track and manage their operations. With the power to access live data and insights at any given moment, decision-makers can respond swiftly to emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities. The Bolt Business service was developed to address the challenges faced by enterprises in managing transportation spending, tracking employees’ business movements, and simplifying the expense reimbursement process. With competitive and affordable prices, dedicated account managers, and 24/7 customer support, Bolt Business has established a significant market share in the transport space, particularly in Tunis. As a smart and agile tech company, Bolt provides excellent technical solutions through its Business Portal, further enhancing the user experience.

By utilizing Bolt Business, companies can achieve substantial benefits including:

Enhancing logistics efficiency: By implementing spending limits and controls, enterprises can effectively manage travel expenses and stay within budget, thereby enhancing logistics efficiency.

Time Efficiency: The hassle of manual expense reporting is eliminated as Bolt automatically generates ride receipts and tracks expenses within a centralized portal. Employers gain clear visibility into all business trip activities, expenses, and reports, streamlining administrative tasks.

Convenience: The Ride Booker feature allows individuals to book rides on behalf of others, order multiple rides simultaneously, and schedule rides in advance. Even if the recipient of the ride does not have the Bolt app, ride details can be conveniently shared via SMS.

Extensive Global Coverage: With a network of 3 million Bolt drivers worldwide, Bolt ensures reliable transportation options for corporate teams across multiple cities and countries. In Tunisia, Bolt currently operates in Tunis and Sus, with plans for further expansion into other regions.

Control and Visibility: Employers gain complete control over employee transportation by managing policies within a single portal. Policies can include setting specific days and times for business rides, determining the number of rides allowed, and defining spending limits on a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.

Furthermore, mobility solutions promote innovation by fostering an environment of constant improvement. Businesses are encouraged to refine their processes, adapt to changing market dynamics, and adopt data-driven strategies. In Tunisia, where economic diversification is a priority, this innovation-driven approach is critical in developing new sectors and strengthening the existing ones.

As Tunisia looks towards a future driven by innovation and inclusive growth, Bolt Business will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the country’s transportation landscape. With its unwavering commitment to excellence and its dedication to empowering drivers and riders alike, Bolt Business is poised to bring about even greater positive transformations, making Tunisia a shining example of how technology and entrepreneurship can revolutionize the way we move.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Why WeChat Wins (in China)

October 11, 2023

WeChat is all-encompassing but low-key. A Chinese scholar explains the Taoist philosophy behind the everything app.

Elon Musk’s vision of Twitter, now rebranded as X, as an “everything app” is no secret. When the X logo replaced Twitter’s blue bird, the internet buzzed with heated discussions about just what it would mean for X to be an everything app.

Musk promoted his super app project by referring to the Chinese all-in-one app WeChat. But for many users around the world unfamiliar with WeChat, a train of questions followed. What’s it like to use WeChat? How has WeChat become “everything” in China? Would it be possible to replicate the app’s success in the US?

I’m a Chinese digital media scholar, and I’ve used WeChat since 2012. But, in contrast to Musk’s enthusiasm, I don’t think WeChat is something to write home about. I believe it’s ordinary rather than special, lacking distinctive features compared with the other popular apps I studied for my current book project about Chinese touchscreen media.

The app’s design is intentionally grounded in a more nuanced and philosophical meaning of the word ‘everything’

WeChat’s inconspicuousness on my phone screen is no accident. Although WeChat is an everything app in the sense of being a digital hub for over a billion users, the app’s design is intentionally grounded in a more nuanced and philosophical meaning of the word “everything” than you might expect.

Launched in 2011, WeChat has become an all-in-one app that offers services covering most aspects of everyday life, from instant messaging and mobile payments to photo- and video-sharing social networking. It has become a staple of daily activities for 1.3 billion Chinese mobile users.

WeChat is also the app that China-bound travelers can download if they want to install only one app. WeChat can help you fill out customs declaration forms, call a taxi, pay for your hotel room and order food. Without WeChat, a traveller in China would be like a fish out of water, since everything in China now runs through smartphone screens and mobile payment platforms.

All-encompassing

In this sense, WeChat is indeed an everything app. Its “everythingness” refers to its near omnipresence and omnipotence in everyday life. The app creates an all-encompassing and ever-expanding media ecosystem that influences users’ daily activities. It forms a gigantic digital hub that, as German philosopher and media theorist Peter Sloterdijk once described, “has drawn inwards everything that was once on the outside”.

This “everythingness” leaves little room for rival companies to achieve similar dominance and turns every tap or swipe on a user’s smartphone into something a big tech company can profit from. This dream of an internet empire is perhaps what is so enticing for tech leaders like Musk.

Despite WeChat’s status as an everything app, it’s one of the least notable and attractive apps on my smartphone. WeChat rarely changes its logo to celebrate holidays or sends admin notifications to users. The app forms a relatively closed social space, since WeChat users can see only what their contacts post, unlike apps like Weibo or TikTok, where celebrities amass millions of followers.

But the lack of flashy, attention-grabbing features is actually one of WeChat’s intentional design philosophies, as WeChat’s founder and chief developer Allen Xiaolong Zhang made clear in his annual public speeches in 2019 and 2020. Zhang emphasised that one of WeChat’s design principles is to “get users out of the app as fast as possible”, meaning to reduce the amount of time users spend in WeChat.

This might seem paradoxical – if WeChat is trying to get its users to leave the app as fast as possible, how can it maintain its internet empire? Typically, an app’s popularity is assessed based on how long users spend in it, and users’ attention is the scarce resource various digital platforms fight for.

But Zhang claims that to sustain users’ daily engagement with the app in the long run, it’s important to let them leave the app as fast as possible. A low demand for time and effort is key to bringing users back into the app without exhausting them.

The design of WeChat mini programs makes Zhang’s idea clear. Mini programs are embedded into WeChat as third-party developed sub-applications, and they provide users with easy access to a large range of services – like hailing a taxi, ordering food, buying train tickets and playing games – without leaving WeChat. Users can simply search in the app or scan a QR code to open a mini program, skipping the cumbersome processes of installing and uninstalling new apps.

Mini programs are stored in a hidden panel at the top of the screen. They can be opened by swiping down the screen. These mini programs appear to be ephemeral, diffusive and almost atmospheric. They give users the feeling that WeChat has disappeared or merged into the environment.

WeChat is what media scholars call “elemental”: inconspicuous and nonintrusive, yet pervasive and as fundamental as the natural elements, just like air, water and clouds.

Perhaps WeChat’s interpretation of the word ‘everything’ is the secret to its success over the past 10 years.

This environment of pervasiveness and unobtrusiveness resonates with the ancient Chinese Taoist philosophy that understands nothing (wu 无, or “not-being”) as that which forms the basis of all things (wanwu 万物 or “ten thousand things”). As Tao Te Ching states, “Dao begets One (or nothingness), One begets Two (yin and yang), Two begets Three (Heaven, Earth and Man; or yin, yang and breath qi), Three begets all things.” For Taoist thinkers, not-being determines how all things within the cosmos come into being, evolve and disappear.

Although the depth of these sagely texts is unfathomable, the Taoist thoughts from the past help people appreciate the interplay of everything and nothing. This perspective adds another layer of meaning to “everything” and opens up alternative visions of what an everything app can be.

Perhaps WeChat’s interpretation of the word “everything” – as simultaneously pervasive and inconspicuous – is the secret to its success over the past 10 years. I believe many tech leaders could benefit from a more sophisticated understanding of “everything” when envisioning the everything app, and not just equate “everything” simply with big and comprehensive.

Jianqing Chen, is assistant professor of East Asian languages and cultures and of film and media studies, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St Louis, US.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry