- tech360.tv
Apple Removes WhatsApp, Threads, Telegram, and Signal from China App Store Following Government Order
Apple has removed WhatsApp, Threads, Telegram, and Signal from its China App Store following a government order citing national security concerns. Other Meta apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger are still available for download. The reasons behind the security concerns raised by Chinese authorities are unclear.
In a move that highlights China's increasing intolerance towards foreign messaging apps, Apple announced on Friday that it has removed Meta Platforms' WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China. The Chinese government ordered the removal, citing national security concerns. App tracking firms Qimai and AppMagic also reported that Telegram and Signal, two other foreign messaging apps, were taken down from the store.
This action signifies a tightening grip of China's central government on foreign online messaging services that operate outside its control. It also indicates less flexibility for Apple in the Chinese market. However, other Meta apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger are still available for download, according to Reuters.
The reasons behind the security concerns raised by Chinese authorities regarding WhatsApp and Threads are not immediately clear. Apple stated in an email that the Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps based on national security concerns. The company emphasised its obligation to comply with the laws of the countries in which it operates, even if there is disagreement.
Meta declined to comment on the matter and directed inquiries to Apple. Apple, on the other hand, did not respond to requests for comment regarding Signal and Telegram. Representatives from the two messaging app companies also did not provide immediate responses.
It is worth noting that none of the four apps removed are widely used in China, where Tencent's WeChat dominates the messaging service landscape. These apps, along with many other foreign apps, are typically blocked on Chinese networks by the "Great Firewall" and can only be accessed through virtual private networks or proxy tools. However, the four apps are still available in Hong Kong and Macau, China's two special administrative regions.
Experts in China's tech industry speculate that the government's order to remove WhatsApp and Threads may be linked to a new regulation implemented last August. The regulation requires all apps available in China to register with the government or face removal. The deadline for registration was the end of March, and the regulations officially took effect on April 1.
This is not the first time Apple has removed apps from its China app store. In 2017, the company took down The New York Times news app, citing a violation of local regulations amidst increasing news censorship in China. The app remains unavailable on Apple's China App Store. Similarly, last year, Apple removed several ChatGPT-like apps during Beijing's development of local regulations on generative artificial intelligence (AI) services.
Apple has removed WhatsApp, Threads, Telegram, and Signal from its China App Store following a government order citing national security concerns.
Other Meta apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger are still available for download.
The reasons behind the security concerns raised by Chinese authorities are unclear.
Source: REUTERS