The Chinese government ordered Apple to remove WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China, citing national security issues.
To Put It Briefly
- China’s App Store no longer features Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp and Threads.
- The Chinese government issued the directives, citing concerns about national security.
- Apple claims that it must abide by national regulations.
Apple said on Friday that it has taken Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp and Threads down from the Chinese App Store at the behest of the Chinese government, which used the excuse of national security concerns.
Checks by Reuters on Friday morning revealed that other Meta apps, including as Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, were still accessible. You could download a ton of other well-known apps made by Western firms, like YouTube and X.
It was not immediately apparent how Chinese officials would have been concerned about the security of WhatsApp or Threads.
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Apple sent a comment to Reuters via email stating that “the Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China storefront based on their national security concerns.”
“We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree,” the statement continued.
Apple was contacted by Meta after they declined to comment.
An inquiry for comment was not immediately answered by the Chinese Cyberspace Administration.
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The manufacturer of iPhones indicated that Threads and WhatsApp may still be downloaded from its other stores. If they have an iCloud account there, tech-savvy Chinese customers can download the apps from Apple’s App Stores abroad.
The government order on WhatsApp and Threads, according to some experts on China’s internet sector, may be connected to a new regulation that was implemented in August of last year that mandates that all apps available in the country register with the government or face removal.
The restrictions went into force on April 1st, and companies had until the end of March to complete their registrations.
Apple has previously taken apps out of its China app store.
In 2017, Apple removed The New York Times news app saying it violated local regulations – a move that came amid rising news censorship in the world’s second-largest economy. It remains unavailable on Apple’s China App Store.
Last year, Apple pulled several ChatGPT-like apps when Beijing was working on local regulations on generative artificial intelligence(AI) services.
The removal of WhatsApp and Threads from the China App Store was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
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