Apple has removed two prominent gay dating applications, Blued and Finka, from its Chinese App Store following government orders, raising concerns among the nation’s LGBTQ+ community.
An Apple spokesperson confirmed the removals, stating the company complies with local laws. The directive came from the Cyberspace Administration of China. These apps are now unavailable in mainland China’s App Store only.
The move has sparked worry within China’s LGBTQ+ community. Blued is one of the most widely used gay dating apps in the country, boasting tens of millions of downloads.
However, a “Lite” version of Blued remains accessible in the Chinese App Store. Other gay and bisexual dating applications, including Jicco and Jack’d, are also still available in the country.
Apple operates a separate App Store in China to adhere to strict internet laws. This setup means global apps like Instagram and WhatsApp are unavailable there. For Android users in China, localized operating systems are necessary as the Google Play Store is blocked.
This is not the first instance of a gay dating app being removed. In 2022, the U.S.-based app Grindr was also taken down from Apple’s App Store in China. That action followed a broader crackdown by the Cyberspace Administration of China on content deemed illegal or inappropriate.
In 2023, the Chinese government introduced new regulations requiring all applications serving domestic users to obtain permits. This led to the removal of numerous foreign apps from online platforms. Online regulators stated the rules aim to “promote the standardized and high-quality development of the internet industry.”
A member of the LGBTQ+ community expressed frustration over the recent removals. “I hope those heterosexual policymakers understand that love is rare,” the individual said, adding, “It is not something to be ashamed of or unspeakable.”
While homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997, same-sex marriage is not legally recognized. Several LGBTQ+ advocacy groups, including the Beijing LGBT Center and ShanghaiPride, have ceased operations in China in recent years.