Apple just removed anti-internet censorship VPN apps from China’s app store

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Apple users in China woke up Saturday to find they could no longer access unfiltered internet via their iPhonesthe company had taken down severalmajor virtual-private network apps from the country’s app store.

According tothe New York Times, at least threecompanies, ExpressVPN, Star VPN, and VyprVPN, hadtheir applications removed by Apple. ExpressVPNposted a letter from Apple onits blogstating that itsapp “includes content that is illegal in China.”

“Were disappointed in this development, as it represents the most drastic measure the Chinese government has taken to block the use of VPNs to date, and we are troubled to see Apple aiding Chinas censorship efforts,” the company commented in its post.

Sunday Yokubaitispresident of Golden Frog, which overseesVyprVPNtoldthe Times that the company is disappointed in Apple’s decision to give into China’s pressure and remove VPN apps without citing Chinese laws.

“We view access to Internet in China as a human rights issue, and I would expect Apple to value human rights over profits,” Yokubaitis said.

The apps only appear to be removed from app stores connected to billing addresses in mainland China, Apple’s largest market outside of the United States. Because of Apple’s vulnerable relationship with the country, thismove marks the first time China’s influenceallowed itto push back against the company itself.

This isn’t the first time Apple has complied with the Company’s Great Firewall in order to keep a positive relationship with its second largest market. Last year, it removed news apps fromthe Times from the app store, per China’s request. It also announced its first-ever China data center last month, a move to comply with a new law requiring foreign companies to store data in the country.

According tothe Times, the VPN-app crackdown likely signals stricter controls on VPNs to continue after this fall’s Chinese Communist Party congress.

Apple declined to comment about the app store removals.

H/T New York Times

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