Chinese authorities have ordered the removal of two dating apps widely used by the community. LGBTQIA +Blued and Finka are available on the App Store and Google Play Store.
The measure was ordered by the Cyberspace Administration of China, the body responsible for regulating the internet in the country.
In China, same-sex marriage remains prohibited, and according to activists, control over the LGBTQIA+ community has intensified in recent years, with various censorship actions targeting events and content related to the topic, especially under Xi Jinping's government.
Over the weekend, Chinese users noticed that the full versions of the two apps were no longer available in digital stores. Both belong to the Hong Kong-based company BlueCity Group.
Despite the removal, a reduced version of Blued could still be found on the Chinese App Store this Tuesday (11). Some users reported that the apps continue to work for those who had already installed them before.
In a statement, Apple confirmed the withdrawal and clarified that it acted in accordance with government directives.
"Following an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we removed these applications only from the Chinese app store," a company spokesperson said.
Source: G1 Technology
