Tencent is being sued by Beijing's prosecutor, claiming that its WeChat youth mode violates laws protecting minors. It restricts access for younger users to certain functions, such as mobile payments and certain games, when WeChat is in youth mode.According to Reuters, the suit does not specify how apps youth mode violate the law. However, it comes just days after a Chinese state newspaper called online games opium for mind. But that article was updated by the Wall Street Journal, but not before Tencents shares dropped more than 10%.Tencent didn't immediately respond to the lawsuit but said it would place restrictions in its Honor of Kings gaming game. The Chinese news article specifically mentioned that Tencent would restrict the time players can play the game every day for those under 18.This lawsuit is likely to be part of China's larger crackdown on tech companies. In April, the Cyberspace Administration of China levied a $2.8 million (18.23 billion Yuan) fine against Chinese ecommerce site Alibaba for claiming that it had stifled innovation. The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered that app stores remove Didi Chuxings' ride-hailing app in July. It claimed the company was collecting personal data.
