China ‘requests removal’ of popular apps from ‘Apple Store’

2024-04-20 04:50:51

China has asked Apple to remove some of the world’s most popular social media apps from its app store in the country (Apple Store), in the latest example of censorship demands imposed on the iPhone product on the U.S. company’s second-largest market, according to one newspaper. “Wall Street Journal“.

On Friday, “WhatsApp” and “Threads”, in addition to the messaging platforms “Signal” and “Telegram”, were removed from the “Apple” store in China, and “Apple” said it was asked to remove certain applications due to national security concerns, without determining which one.

A company spokesperson said: “We are obliged to respect the laws of the countries in which we operate, even if we do not agree,” according to the same newspaper.

These messaging apps, which allow users to exchange messages and share files individually and in large groups, collectively have around 3 billion users worldwide.

These applications are only accessible in China via virtual private networks (VPNs) which allow users to escape the Chinese firewall. Despite these restrictions, these programs are still commonly used, according to the American newspaper.

Beijing often views these platforms with caution, fearing that its citizens might use them to spread negative content and cause social unrest.

China’s Cyberspace Administration has asked Apple to remove WhatsApp and Threads apps from the App Store. Because both contain political content that includes “problematic references” to Chinese President Xi Jinping, a person familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

But an Apple spokesperson said that was not part of the reason for the Chinese demand.

The move reduces the number of foreign chat apps that Chinese internet users can use to communicate with those outside the country, further tightening controls on the internet by Beijing, seen as sensitive to the circulation of uncensored information. .

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