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KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Apple removed WhatsApp, Threads, Telegram, and Signal from its China store.
- The ban may be retaliatory due to scrutiny of TikTok in the West.
- The apps are still available in Hong Kong and Macau.
Apple has deleted four applications from its China-regional app store, including Meta’s WhatsApp and Threads, after being directed to do so by Beijing for security grounds.
The Chinese government also ordered the shutdown of Telegram and Signal, indicating that the decree specifically targeted messaging applications. Except for Threads, all applications use strong encryption methods, which may have annoyed the Middle Kingdom because encryption makes it much more difficult for it to monitor its residents.
It’s worth noting that the ban comes shortly after the China-based social media app TikTok was heavily scrutinized in the United States and Europe. Congress is considering outright banning TikTok, while the EU is looking into the new TikTok Lite app, which was introduced earlier this month. The restriction on Western applications is probably retaliatory.
However, the precise timing might be a coincidence, with the fundamental cause being a regulation China enacted in August that required developers to register with the government, according to Reuters. The deadline for registration was at the end of March, and the law took effect on April 1.
China is not attempting to crack down on all international chat applications, at least not yet. According to Reuters, Meta’s other programs, such as Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram (with which Threads is entwined), as well as X and YouTube, remain available.
Apple was not too pleased with the order. “We are compelled to observe the laws of the nations in which we operate, even if we disagree,” the business stated.
The withdrawal has not taken effect throughout China, since the four applications are still available in Hong Kong and Macau, which are not fully integrated into China due to their unique “one country, two systems” status.
Given that Hong Kong strengthened its social media controls last month and suggested banning several sites, Apple may be forced to remove the same applications in the city at some point.
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