Partner Brian Burke (New York/Shanghai-Litigation) hosted a roundtable discussion on "The WeChat Effect — Understanding the Compliance Risks of Instant Messaging and Social Media Apps" in Shanghai and Hong Kong on April 17 and April 20, 2018 respectively. 

 Instant messaging and social media apps such as WeChat, WhatsApp and QQ are having a profound impact on the way people communicate around the world. In Asia, where the adoption rate of such technologies has been nothing short of astounding, instant messages are already surpassing email as the primary mode of work communication. These mobile communication tools offer significant benefits, but they also open the door to serious compliance and regulatory risks, many of which have never been encountered previously.  During this session, Brian and attendees:

• Discussed key compliance risks associated with instant message and social media apps, and assessed what controls may be effective in reducing those risks
• Evaluated the pros and cons of allowing employees to use WeChat and similar apps in day-to-day communications
• Considered the regulatory and enforcement implications of using these apps and reviewed recent guidance from regulators
• Examined how to harness instant messaging and other mobile technologies for enhanced compliance monitoring