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Apple Removes Blued and Finka From China App Store After Regulator Order

The takedown underscores tightening controls on LGBTQ+ digital platforms in China.

Overview

  • Apple said it pulled the two gay dating apps from its China storefront based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
  • Multiple reports indicate the apps also disappeared from several Android app stores in the country.
  • Existing users can still access the apps, and an express or lite version of Blued remains available on Apple’s China App Store.
  • The regulator has given no public reason for the removals, and their permanence is uncertain given past reinstatements after compliance changes.
  • Both apps are owned by BlueCity, and Apple noted Finka had already been withdrawn outside China earlier this year while Blued was available only in China.