Apple removes LGBTQ+ dating apps from Chinese App Store
What's the story
Apple has removed two popular LGBTQ+ dating apps, Blued and Finka, from its App Store in China. The move comes after an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the country's top internet regulator and censor. The decision was confirmed by an Apple spokesperson who said they are complying with local laws.
App availability
Both apps were popular in China
Blued and Finka are among the most popular gay dating apps in China. While they have been removed from the App Store, users who had previously downloaded them can still use these apps on their devices. However, it's unclear if this removal is permanent or temporary as some apps have returned after making changes requested by the CAC.
Compliance statement
Apple clarifies removal was only in China
Responding to the CAC's order, an Apple spokesperson said, "We follow the laws in the countries where we operate." They clarified that this removal is limited to China's App Store. The spokesperson also noted that these apps were not available in other countries for a while now. Earlier this year, Finka's developer chose to remove it from stores outside China and Blued was only available in China.
User impact
Blued had over 49M registered users in 2020
In July, Blued stopped accepting new account registrations for a month without any explanation. This led some users in China to pay as much as $20 for a secondhand Blued account during that period. The app resumed registrations by August. Notably, Blued had over 49 million registered users and more than six million monthly active users in 2020, when its parent company BlueCity acquired Finka for about $33 million.
Global presence
What about international versions of these apps?
Last year, the international version of Blued was rebranded as HeeSay, which gained popularity in India, Pakistan, and the Philippines. HeeSay is still available on some app stores across different countries including the US where it can be downloaded from both App Store and Google Play Store. However, it remains to be seen if Blued and Finka will return to China's app storefronts after making necessary changes as per CAC's guidelines.