Apple Pulls China's Top Gay Dating Apps After Government Order
12 days ago
- #LGBTQ+ Rights
- #China
- #Tech Censorship
- Apple removed Blued and Finka, two popular gay dating apps, from China's App Store following an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China.
- The apps remain functional for users who already downloaded them but are no longer available for new downloads in China.
- China decriminalized homosexuality in the 1990s but does not recognize same-sex marriage, and LGBTQ+ rights have faced increasing pressure under the CCP's tightening control.
- Blued, which had over 49 million registered users, was acquired by Newborn Town in 2022 after delisting, and its founder and many employees left.
- Blued rebranded its international version as HeeSay, which remains available in app stores outside China.
- BlueCity expanded into healthcare, launching services like He Health for discreet men's health treatments, and operates an HIV/AIDS nonprofit.
- It's unclear if the removal of Blued and Finka is temporary; some apps have returned after complying with regulatory changes.