Is It Illegal to Add the Chinese Flag to Your WeChat Avatar?

Source: JobTube, Arianna J., Freya W., Josh B.

As of September 24th, many people added Chinas national flag onto their WeChat avatars to celebrate the coming National Day. However, news of it being illegal has gone viral.

People asking about it on Social Media

As to get a definite answer, news staff interviewed two lawyers. The restrictions of the National Flag Law on the use of national flags as follows:

1. "The national flag and its designs shall not be used as trademarks or advertisements, nor for private funeral activities."

   
   

2. "No damaged, stained, faded or substandard Flag shall be displayed"

   
   

3. "Whoever intentionally insults the flag of the People's Republic of China in public places, such as by burning, damaging, painting, tarnishing or trampling, shall be investigated for criminal responsibility according to law; if the circumstances are minor, the public security organ shall impose a detention for not more than 15 days."

   
   

4. Make sure to pay attention to the WeChat avatar and WeChat account, to see whether it contains any illegal and insulting content. If the flag pattern is affixed to obscene, pornographic and other insulting pictures and words, then it will be illegal.
   

So, according to the law, it is not forbidden to add a small Chinese national flag to your WeChat Avatar, as long as you make sure that your account is not illegal. This is a way of expressing patriotic enthusiasm, which is done out of respect and love.

Would you like to add the national flag of China or your native country to your WeChat avatar?

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