Apple users in the US can no longer download ByteDance's Chinese apps

9 hours ago

Apple has blocked iOS users in the US from downloading ByteDance apps, including Douyin, Doubao, and Fanqie Novel, due to new technical restrictions.
The restrictions stem from the 'Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,' which targets ByteDance-owned apps over national security concerns.
TikTok's US operations were transferred to a new entity led by Silver Lake, Oracle, and MGX, exempting TikTok, CapCut, and Lemon8 from the ban.
Apple is using advanced geoblocking techniques, including GPS, Wi-Fi, and SIM data, to enforce regional restrictions on app downloads.
Users attempting to bypass restrictions with VPNs face inconsistent success, as Apple increasingly tightens location-based controls.

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