China dictates what it allows on its country’s internet and App Store
Apple has removed Meta-owned apps WhatsApp and Threads from the China App Store after government officials claimed national security concerns.
The App Store culling continues in China after 30,000 games, then an additional 94,000 games, 44,000 apps, then 100 ChatGPT-like apps were removed over the past four years. The government in China is the driving force behind these app removals, but a more significant App Store removal took place on Thursday night.
Facebook has been blocked from use in China since at least 2009. The Meta-owned Threads launched in the country in 2023 and has been available since, but WhatsApp has seemingly been blocked from use since at least 2017.
With the apps pulled from the App Store, users will no longer be able to download Threads or WhatsApp. That means there isn’t an easy way to access these apps, even with a VPN.
