In China, WhatsApp and Threads will no longer be able to be downloaded from the App Store in the future. China is thus closing a loophole in its “firewall” with which the government controls information.
Following pressure from the Chinese government, Apple had WhatsApp removed from the App Store in China. Apple emphasized on Thursday that you are forced to follow the laws of the countries in which you are active. The short messaging service Threads from the Facebook Group was also thrown out of the store.
The Chinese Internet regulatory authority justified the order with concerns about national security, Apple told the Wall Street Journal, among others.
The “Great Chinese Firewall” will more impermeable
In any case, WhatsApp and Threads can only be used in China via VPN services that redirect data traffic so that it appears to come from another country. Western communication apps are blocked in the country itself.
However, some of them, such as WhatsApp, have so far been able to at least be downloaded to the devices from the App Store. If they are now removed, a loophole will be closed in the so-called “Great Chinese Firewall”, with which the government in Beijing controls access to information on the Internet.
Dispute between USA and China over TikTok
The relationship between the USA and China is currently tense – also when it comes to apps. A law is on the way in the US Congress that would force a change of ownership of the popular video app TikTok. It passed the House of Representatives and is now in the Senate as the second chamber of Congress, where it could also be adopted soon.
The parent company Bytedance is viewed in the USA as a Chinese company with headquarters in Beijing. TikTok rejects this – the majority of the shares belong to international investors. The Chinese government expressed outrage at the political pressure for a change of ownership.