Apple has reportedly removed Meta-owned encrypted messaging app WhatsApp and the Twitter-like Threads from its App Store in China following directives from the government due to concerns over national security, according to Reuters. This move underscores the ongoing tension between global tech companies and China’s regulatory regime.
Meta, formerly Facebook, confirmed the removal of its apps but refrained from providing further details, redirecting inquiries to Apple. The apps were taken down based on national security concerns raised by the Cyberspace Administration of China, Apple stated in response to inquiries from Reuters.
Beyond WhatsApp and Threads, other messaging apps such as Signal and Telegram have also been affected, according to app tracking firms Qimai and AppMagic, although Apple has not officially confirmed these additional removals.
Signal’s president Meredith Whittaker acknowledged that Signal had been blocked in China prior to its removal from the App Store, pointing out that the app’s registrations and messages were already obstructed by China’s Great Firewall.
The removals are part of a broader pattern where Apple has complied with China’s internet regulator’s directives in the past, removing apps like generative AI tools and social networking apps, including Twitter alternatives.
The rationale behind targeting WhatsApp and Threads specifically remains unclear, given their distinct functionalities as an encrypted messaging app and a microblogging-style social media app respectively. Nonetheless, this development reflects China’s increasingly stringent approach to regulating foreign tech platforms within its borders, with decisions often characterized by unpredictability and inconsistency.
