apple Inc. announced that it has removed Meta Platforms Inc.'s WhatsApp and Threads from its Chinese app store following an order from the country's internet regulator. Authorities argued that these services posed a risk to the country's security.
The order follows a cleanup program launched by Chinese regulators in 2023, in which many obsolete or unregistered apps were expected to be removed from the country's iOS and Android stores. The action against the US tech service comes as the US government takes steps to ban Beijing-based ByteDance's hit video app TikTok. U.S. politicians have also cited national security concerns in forcing the company to sell. TikTok must be transferred to a non-Chinese owner or face a ban in the US market.
“We are obligated to abide by the laws of the countries in which we operate, even if we disagree with them. The Cyberspace Administration of China has ordered these apps removed from Chinese store shelves based on national security concerns. “Apple said in a statement. “These apps will continue to be available for download on all other storefronts where they appear.”
Foreign social media platforms such as WhatsApp were largely inaccessible from China without tools to circumvent Beijing's Great Firewall, such as virtual private networks. If these apps are removed, it will become more difficult for domestic users to view content on these international platforms.
In August, China asked all mobile app developers to register with the government by the end of March, a move the Chinese government portrayed as a measure to combat phone scams and scams. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology announced that it will carry out supervision work on these applications from April to June and will take action against unregistered apps. App developers will also be required to build and improve mechanisms for handling “illegal information.”
The MIIT move is another step by the Chinese government to tighten its control over cyberspace, forcing domestic and foreign companies to block information deemed politically sensitive. Beyond apps, websites and large-scale language AI models are also subject to greater content restrictions.
China's actions come as the TikTok sale bill is expected to be included in a rapid aid package for Ukraine and Israel that Congress is expected to vote on this Saturday.
of wall street journal Who first reported the deletion? A spokesperson for Meta referred to Bloomberg News about Apple's statement.
China is an important country for the iPhone, being its largest consumer market outside of the United States and a major production base. Chief executive Tim Cook visited the country earlier this year and highlighted its importance to his business. Apple has long argued that part of effectively operating its app stores in different countries is that it must comply with local laws.
