The iPhone maker confirmed Friday that China's internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China, had ordered the removal of the app, citing national security concerns. Apple did not say which apps were removed, but analytics firm Appfigures said WhatsApp, Threads, Signal and Telegram were gone from the app store. Meta, which owns WhatsApp and Threads, referred a request for comment to Apple.
“We are obligated to abide by the laws of the countries in which we operate, even if we disagree,” the company said in a statement.
The incident comes as the U.S. government seeks to reduce the use of Chinese technology in the U.S. for security reasons, and comes as Beijing launches a retaliatory crackdown on U.S. companies. may incur economic costs. With four times as many consumers as the US, China is one of the biggest sources of revenue for many US tech companies, including Apple.
US messaging apps like WhatsApp have long been the subject of scrutiny by Chinese web regulators. These apps are widely used by dissidents in China to spread criticism of the Chinese government and organize protests, but these types of messages are sent on Chinese messaging apps like WeChat. There is a possibility that it will be censored. Chinese officials have long argued that this dissent is not 100% grassroots and is also stoked by foreign governments to undermine Beijing, a claim that is difficult to prove or disprove. .
Chinese consumers are restricted by strict regulations on political expression, preventing them from opposing the ruling Chinese Communist Party.The Chinese government's firewall already blocks access to WhatsApp, but users Use the app with a virtual private network (VPN). From now on, the app will no longer be available for download.
The immediate trigger for this week's crackdown remains unclear.
Momentum to ban TikTok has been building in Washington in recent months, with the House of Representatives voting to approve a bill that would impose a ban if TikTok fails to find a new owner in a hurry, and President Biden saying that if the law becomes law, He said he would sign the agreement. his desk.
The Cyberspace Administration of China did not immediately respond to a faxed request for comment.
Lyric Li contributed to this report.
