Apple users in China may no longer find several popular apps, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, in the App Store. Apple apparently removed these apps from the App Store on orders from the Chinese government, which bans most foreign apps in China.
Apple App Store China no longer includes WhatsApp, Signal and two other apps
According to ReutersApple has removed some popular posts from the App Store version for China due to security concerns. This move apparently implements a government order banning foreign applications.
Specifically, the apps removed from the Chinese App Store version include two Meta apps – WhatsApp and Threads, and two other messaging applications – Signal and Telegram.
Apple confirmed in a statement to Reuters that it had to remove the four apps from its App Store version in China to comply with government orders.
The Cyberspace Administration of China has ordered the removal of these apps from the Chinese storefront based on their national security concerns. We are required to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even if we disagree with them.
Interestingly, although these apps are no longer available to Chinese users, some related apps can still be accessed there. These include the other Meta apps (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram) and apps like YouTube and X (formerly Twitter). So it is somewhat inconsistent with China’s decision to ban unregistered foreign applications. Instead, this move, which emerged as a result, came true concerns about national security for China, it seems more like a way to increase surveillance of Chinese users’ communications.
Considering that all four apps allow secure chats, especially WhatsApp and Signal, which have long been known for their standard end-to-end encryption, it appears they have been banned by the Chinese government due to their data protection measures.
With these apps, the Chinese authorities would experience problems accessing the chats of their citizens. Therefore, the country has seemingly banned the use of such applications on its territory to continue its citizen control practices.
This is not the first time that Chinese authorities have banned certain applications. Previously, the government even banned numerous VPN apps that did not comply with its registration policy. The country justified this move as a national security measure. That’s why Apple has also removed several VPN apps from the App Store for China.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
