Glossary

Chatbot: A program inside a chat app that is able to interact with a user based on key terms he or she types in, simulating a basic conversation. Chatbots are most often used to help users retrieve specific types of content (e.g., “What is the top news story today?” would lead to a chatbot delivering a link to the top story on a chosen website.

Shake feature: Available within apps like WeChat; when a user physically shakes his or her phone, the app displays other WeChat users in nearby locations with the option to connect with them.

Stickers: Illustrated or photographic images that chat app users can easily insert into their conversations instead of text. They are similar to emojis but are larger in size and can only be sent as standalone images (in contrast, emojis can appear directly next to letters you type).

Users generally download “sticker packs,” which include between 16–40 individual images that can be accessed within the app. Many of the most popular and effective stickers convey universal emotions like happiness, love, and anger, or use common phrases and greetings like “hi,” “call me,” “I love you,” and “goodnight.”

Walkie-Talkie mode: Another feature within WeChat that simulates the functionality of a walkie talkie, allowing users on two separate phones to voice chat with each other inside the app.