Apple has recently removed around 25,000 apps from its App Store in China as they were targeted with the word “gambling”
“Gambling apps are illegal and not allowed on the App Store in China. We have already removed many apps and developers for trying to distribute illegal gambling apps on our App Store, and we are vigilant in our efforts to find these and stop them from being on the App Store,” Apple said in a statement
“Apple itself has set up the rules on how to allow apps onto its store, but it didn’t follow that, resulting in the proliferation of bogus lottery apps and gambling apps,” The Wall Street Journal quoted CCTV as saying on Sunday.
This comes after a period of negative state media coverage of Apple in China that seems to be increasing, as the company is accused of not doing enough to combat illegal online activity. Previously, Apple has often had to take steps to fall in line with Chinese authorities, such as removing apps for VPN services and The New York Times.
Even so, this is nothing new, but it is a reminder of how American companies are forced to bend to China’s government rules if they want to keep doing business in their country.
Source: theverge.com
