Apple announced that the Cyberspace Administration of China had instructed the removal of WhatsApp and Threads from the Chinese App Store, emphasizing their commitment to comply with local laws.
Apple clarified that the Meta-owned apps were removed from the App Store in China due to an order from the Chinese government, citing concerns about national security. However, these apps remain accessible through alternative app store.
Although WhatsApp and Threads were removed, other Meta-owned apps like Facebook, Messenger, and Instagram, along with various popular US social media platforms such as YouTube and X (formerly Twitter), remain accessible in China.
Analysts in China’s tech industry speculated that the government’s action might be linked to a 2023 regulation mandating all apps available in China to register with the government, with a deadline set until the end of last month.
This incident isn’t unprecedented for Apple, as it has previously removed apps from its Chinese store. For instance, the New York Times app disappeared in 2017, while AI-driven chat apps akin to ChatGPT were pulled in 2023 following Beijing’s regulations on generative AI services