Apple has reportedly bowed to pressure from the Chinese government by removing two popular gay dating apps from its App Store in the country.
Blued and Finka, which are the two largest dating apps for gay people in China according to The China Project, were pulled from Apple’s app store after the US firm received an order from China’s internet regulator and censorship authority, Wired reported.
“We follow the laws in the countries where we operate,” a spokesperson for Apple said.
“Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only.”
It marks a setback for China’s marginalised LGBTQ+ community, who lack many of the same rights as heterosexual people.
Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1997 but same-sex marriage is still not recognised in China, while censorship laws block films and TV shows with LGBTQ+ characters and storylines.
Popular LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr was removed from Apple’s App Store in China in 2022.
Users on social media have reported the apps still working on devices if they had already been downloaded.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, who came out as gay in a personal essay in 2014, is considered one of the most powerful voices for the LGBTQ+ community globally.
“Being gay has given me a deeper understanding of what it means to be in the minority and provided a window into the challenges that people in other minority groups deal with every day,” he wrote in the essay.
“I don’t consider myself an activist, but I realize how much I’ve benefited from the sacrifice of others.
“The company I am so fortunate to lead has long advocated for human rights and equality for all... We’ll continue to fight for our values, and I believe that any CEO of this incredible company, regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation, would do the same.”
Apple has also positioned itself as a progressive and inclusive company, releasing “Pride Edition” accessories during Pride Month and donating to LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.
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