China’s all-in-one app WeChat announced Monday that it will crack down on “abnormal promotion methods,” including vendors who ask users to share or advertise their goods on the platform in exchange for discounts or other incentives.

In an official statement, WeChat warned public accounts and operators of so-called mini apps to stop trying to entice users to share promotional links on their WeChat Moments timeline, a feature similar to Facebook’s social feed. WeChat further said it would block such promotional links and even suspend the vendor accounts responsible for them.

Each month, over 1 billion people use WeChat to message their friends and family, order food, and make mobile payments, among dozens of other functions. Its large user base and multifunctionality have turned the platform into a lucrative marketplace for businesses seeking to promote their products and services, which can sometimes manifest as users being bombarded with spam messages and annoying pop-ups. (Image: IC)