Apple removes WhatsApp from China’s App Store at Beijing’s request

(Bloomberg) — Apple Inc. said it has removed Meta Platforms Inc.’s WhatsApp and Threads from its app store in China following an order from the country’s internet regulator, which said the services pose security risks. from the country.

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The order comes on the heels of a cleanup program initiated by Chinese regulators in 2023 that was supposed to remove many defunct or unregistered apps from domestic iOS and Android stores. The move against American technology services comes as the U.S. government is taking steps to ban TikTok, the hit video app from Beijing-based ByteDance Ltd. TikTok to a non-Chinese owner or face a ban in the US market.

“We are obliged to follow the laws of the countries where we operate, even when we disagree. The Cyberspace Administration of China ordered the removal of these apps from the Chinese store based on its national security concerns,” Apple said in a statement. “These apps remain available for download in all other stores where they appear.”

Foreign social media platforms like WhatsApp were already largely inaccessible from China without tools to bypass Beijing’s Great Firewall like virtual private networks. Removing these apps will make it more difficult for users in the country to view content on these international platforms.

In August, China asked all mobile app creators to register with the government by the end of March, a move Beijing painted as an attempt to combat fraud and phone scams. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said it would carry out inspection work on these registrations from April to June and would take action against applications that were not registered. Application developers would also be required to create and improve mechanisms to deal with “illegal information”.

The MIIT measure was another step by Beijing to strengthen controls across its cyberspace, forcing national and foreign companies to block information considered politically sensitive. In addition to apps, websites and AI models in large languages ​​are also subject to greater content restrictions.

China’s move comes as TikTok divestment legislation is expected to be included in a quick aid package for Ukraine and Israel, which Congress is expected to vote on this Saturday.

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The Wall Street Journal was first to report the removal. A Meta spokesperson referred Bloomberg News to Apple’s statement.

China is a key country for the iPhone, its largest consumer market outside the US and its main production base. CEO Tim Cook visited the country earlier this year and emphasized its importance for his business. Apple has long said it needs to follow local laws as part of effectively operating its app store in different countries.

–With assistance from Kurt Wagner.

(Updates with details of US actions against TikTok in sixth paragraph)

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