Apple has removed the Meta-owned end-to-end encrypted messaging app WhatsApp from its App Store in China following a government order citing national Meta-owned WhatsApp and Threads have been pulled from Apple’s App Store in China following a government order citing national security concerns, Reuters reports.
Not surprising, though I do find it ironic when people complain about the potential US ban on Tik Tok. Tik Tok is a foreign hostile government’s propoganda, data mining, and manipulation tool.
Nobody has an issue with banning TikTok. Everyone has issue with only banning TikTok and not also banning western social media that does exactly the same things.
This would be an excellent use case for Beeper.
I thought WhatsApp was never allowed in china?
Access was banned by ISPs, but people were able to use it via VPN.
Is the reason known why they banned it or what they have to change to be allowed again?
It was banned on national security concerns, aka they don’t have any control over the apps. So I doubt there is anything they can do to get back. Telegram and Signal were among the apps removed too.
In Germany this app doesn’t exist.