Apple Inc. has removed social media services, including WhatsApp and Meta Platforms Inc.’s Threads, from its Chinese app store, responding to Beijing’s orders to close further loopholes in the country’s long-standing Internet firewall.
The iPhone maker has also removed messaging services Telegram and Signal, according to consultants monitoring the space. Apple, which has consistently maintained one of the world’s toughest internet censorship regimes, said the Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the apps removed for national security reasons.
The orders come on the heels of a cleanup program launched by Chinese regulators in 2023 that was expected to remove many defunct or unregistered apps from domestic iOS and Android stores, including local ones. In August, China asked all mobile app developers to register with the government by the end of March or else go out of business.
Beijing has for years banned the use of foreign messages and social media platforms such as WhatsApp, using what the industry calls the Great Firewall. That has helped apps like Tencent Holdings Ltd.’s WeChat dominate domestic use, although Chinese users can still use virtual private networks to view foreign media.
Less sensitive apps with larger Chinese operations such as Duolingo are expected to comply with the latest licensing regulatory regime to remain operational, said Rich Bishop, co-founder and chief executive of AppInChina.
“It means Chinese consumers will pretty much be limited to Chinese apps only, with a small number of international apps,” said Bishop, whose consultancy has received dozens of inquiries from companies about how to stay compliant and publish software in China . “This is a pretty big change, which will sort of further cut off Chinese citizens from the rest of the world.”
The action against American tech services comes as the U.S. government is taking steps toward banning TikTok, the hit video app from Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd.. US politicians have also cited national security concerns in their push to force the company to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese owner or risk a ban in the US market.
“We are obliged to follow the laws of the countries in which we operate, even when we disagree. The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the China store based on national security concerns,” Apple said in a statement. “These apps remain available for download on all other stores where they appear.”
The app’s registration process began last year in what Beijing described as an attempt to crack down on phone scams and fraud. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said it will carry out supervision work on such documents from April to June and will take action against unregistered apps. Developers would also be required to establish and improve mechanisms to deal with “illegal information.”
MIIT’s move was seen as another step by Beijing to tighten controls in its cyberspace, forcing internet companies to delete information deemed politically sensitive. In addition to apps, websites and large linguistic AI models have also been subject to increased content restrictions.
The Wall Street Journal was first to report the app’s removal. A Meta spokesperson referred Apple’s statement to Bloomberg News. Representatives for Telegram and Signal did not respond to requests for comment.
China’s action comes as legislation on divesting TikTok is expected to be included in a fast-moving aid package for Ukraine and Israel that Congress is expected to vote on this Saturday.
China is a key nation for the iPhone, its largest consumer market outside the United States and its primary manufacturing base. Chief executive Tim Cook visited the country earlier this year and highlighted its importance to his business. Apple has long said that it is necessary to follow local laws as part of effectively managing its app store in different countries.