153 apps including WeChat, Taobao, DeepSeek and Kimi opt out as ByteDance's Doubao phone assistant opens screen automation under its SAEP protocol

Why it matters

【Key points】

On Oct 14 ByteDance's Doubao phone assistant ended the 30-day notice period for its Screen Automation Execution Protocol (SAEP) and will gradually let its agent operate third-party app screens. Apps that opted out won't be operated. Developers can still opt out anytime (reply within 3 business days), either by integrating SAEP to set rules per app, page and intent, or by form or email. The list updates every Wednesday. SAEP was published Sept 14 with the consumer launch.

Per National Business Daily, the first opt-out list had 151 apps, including Pinduoduo, Kimi, Xiaohongshu, DeepSeek and ICBC, plus 23 Alibaba apps (Taobao, Qwen, Alipay) and 65 Tencent apps (WeChat, QQ). Per Southern Metropolis Daily, a same-day update added Kuaishou, Meituan and EZVIZ apps, bringing the total to 153. Alibaba and Tencent make up 88 (about 57.5%). Banks and the three state carriers are on it. JD is not, and Baidu listed only Baidu Maps.

【Verifiable】

Doubao SAEP page: https://o.doubao.com/developer

NBD: https://www.nbd.com.cn/articles/2026-10-14/4603904.html

Southern Metropolis Daily: https://m.mp.oeeee.com/a/BAAFRD0000202610141682012.html

【Our read】

1. This is China's first public robots.txt-style opt-out list for GUI agents, with operation allowed by default. Next to JPMorgan barring outside agents (e/855), it shows two models: the agent platform draws the line, or the target app closes the door.

2. Alibaba and Tencent run their own assistants (Qwen, Yuanbao), so the opt-outs are partly a fight over the user's entry point, not only about safety.

3. SAEP is Doubao's own protocol, not a standard, and only Doubao enforces it. The 151/153 figures are media counts; the official page is authoritative.