“We are trying to get in touch with CAC and relevant Chinese authorities to get this issue resolved as we had close to a million users for our app in China that have been impacted,” Hasan Shafiq Ahmed, head of growth at Pakistan Data Management (PDMS), told Business Insider. PDMS’ app Quran Majeed is one of the two apps that have been taken off Apple’s App Store in compliance with Chinese government requests, according to Apple Censorship, an activist-led website tracking the app store worldwide.
While the Chinese government keeps a close eye on the internet through strict controls over online speech and content, it is also known for targeting the country’s religious minorities, particularly the Uyghur Muslim community. In this context, government requests to take down the apps raise further concerns around religious persecution in China.
Why were the apps taken down?
In a statement, PDMS told the BBC that the app was removed as they did not have the requisite documentation. As for the Bible App by Olive Tree, a spokesperson told BBC that they removed the app themselves after Apple flagged their lack of permit to ‘distribute an app with book or magazine content’. “Since we did not have the permit and needed to get our app update approved and out to customers, we removed our Bible app from China’s App Store,” a spokesperson is quoted saying.
On Google’s Play Store, the Quran Majeed app has over 5 million downloads while the Bible App has just over 1 million.
Apple compromises when it comes to China
In June, an investigation by the New York Times had found that Apple readily complies with Chinese government orders, keeping in mind its business and manufacturing interests in the country.
“Apple has created an internal bureaucracy that rejects or removes apps the company believes could run afoul of Chinese rules. Apple trains its app reviewers and uses special software to inspect apps for any mention of topics Apple has deemed off limits in China, including Tiananmen Square, the Chinese spiritual movement Falun Gong, the Dalai Lama, and independence for Tibet and Taiwan,” the report said.
China has also been cracking down on technology firms in an attempt to curb their influence: WeChat or Weixin (as it is known in China) suspended registrations of new official and personal accounts on its platform in July. In a statement to Reuters, it said that this was because the company was currently upgrading its security technology to align with “all relevant laws and regulations.”
In the same month, the Cyberspace Administration of China ordered app stores to remove ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing, the most popular ride-hailing app in China, citing serious violations in the collection and usage of personal data.
Recently, Microsoft announced that it would be withdrawing its professional networking website from China, citing difficulties in complying with Chinese authorities. Amazon’s Audible app was also withdrawn from the App Store on October 15, citing permit requirements.
Also read:
- Chinese government appoints director to board of ByteDance Beijing: Report
- China expands control over data collected by tech companies
- China orders break up of Alipay and handover of user data under new rules for loan apps
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