GreatFire.org alleges that Group-IB, a Singaporean cybersecurity firm, is assisting Tencent in suppressing censorship watchdog activities. Tencent filed a complaint against FreeWeChat.com, a site archiving censored content from WeChat, claiming trademark infringement. GreatFire argues the complaint is unfounded and aimed at stifling its efforts to document censorship. Although GreatFire responded to the allegations with detailed refutations, the hosting provider complied with Tencent’s request to remove the site. Group-IB has not yet issued a response to the accusations regarding its involvement in the takedown effort.
On June 12, 2025, Tencent's legal representative - cybersecurity firm Group-IB - submitted a takedown complaint to our hosting provider, accusing FreeWeChat of trademark and copyright infringement, cybersquatting, and unfair competition; they cite the use of the word 'WeChat' in our domain, even though FreeWeChat does not use WeChat's logo, claim affiliation, or distribute any modified WeChat software.
The claim is thin, but the intent is clear: shut down a watchdog. This is not a trademark issue, it's censorship wrapped in legalese.
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