Apple has removed some instant messaging services from the Chinese version of the App Store, including WhatsApp* and Telegram. Bloomberg reports this.
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According to the publication, Threads* and Signal also disappeared from the Chinese App Store. The Wall Street Journal adds that Chinese users cannot access Korean Line either.
Apple said the removal of instant messaging from the App Store is a requirement of the State Internet Information Office of the People’s Republic of China for national security reasons.
The company added that it is obliged to comply with the laws of the countries in which it operates, even if it does not agree with them.
According to Bloomberg, the removal of apps could be related to a law that was adopted in China in 2023. Under the new rules, apps operating in China must register with the regulator.
In August 2023, Chinese authorities asked developers to follow this innovation before the end of March 2024, otherwise the applications would stop working in the country.
Author:
Anastasia Marina
Source: RB
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
