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Apple said it has complied with the Chinese government’s order to remove Meta-owned WhatsApp and Threads from China’s App Store. Apple also removed Telegram and Signal from China.
“We are obligated to abide by the laws of the countries in which we operate, even if we disagree,” Apple said in a statement cited by multiple news outlets. “The Cyberspace Administration of China has ordered these apps to be removed from Chinese storefronts based on national security concerns. These apps will be removed from all other storefronts where they appear. It is still available for download.
The Wall Street Journal, paraphrasing a person familiar with the matter, said that China’s cyberspace agency said that “WhatsApp and Threads contain political content, including problematic references to the Chinese president, We have asked Apple to remove it from the App Store.” [Xi Jinping]. ”
The New York Times similarly wrote, “Officials briefed on the situation say the Chinese government has discovered content on WhatsApp and threads about Chinese President Xi Jinping that is inflammatory and violates cybersecurity laws.” Ta. It was unclear, the person said. ”
According to Reuters, the meta apps Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger are still available for iOS in China. As Reuters noted, the four apps removed from Apple’s China Store were not widely used in the country, where WeChat is the dominant service.
“These apps, and many foreign apps, are typically blocked on Chinese networks by China’s extensive censorship cybersystem, the Great Firewall, and can only be used with virtual private networks or other proxy tools.” Reuters wrote. WhatsApp, Threads, Telegram and Signal are reportedly still available on his Apple devices in Hong Kong and Macau, special administrative regions of China.
US House of Representatives moves to force sale or ban of TikTok
China’s crackdown on foreign messaging apps comes as the United States debates whether to ban or force sales of Chinese-owned TikTok. Last month, the House Commerce Committee approved a bill 50-0 that would force TikTok owner ByteDance to sell the company or lose access to the U.S. market.
US lawmakers have argued that TikTok poses a national security risk, saying China could use the app to obtain sensitive personal data and manipulate public opinion in the US. House leadership is reportedly planning a floor vote on the TikTok bill on Saturday.
U.S. lawmakers express concerns about Apple’s relationship with China following recent Apple TV+ show cancellations john stewart problem. Stewart reportedly told staff that Apple executives were concerned about possible topics on the show related to China and artificial intelligence.
In December 2016, Apple removed the New York Times app from its Chinese store, saying it had been informed by China that the app “violated local regulations.” The New York Times News app is still not available on Apple’s App Store in China, according to a Reuters article.
The New York Times noted yesterday that “For years, Apple has capitulated to demands from the Chinese government to block a range of apps, including newspapers, VPNs, and encrypted messaging services.” “We have also built data centers in the country to store Chinese citizens’ iCloud information, including personal contacts, photos, and emails.”
