Six times Apple gave in to China
Hiding the Taiwan flag emoji is just one way Apple makes changes for China
Update: Since we originally published this story, Apple reversed its stance again and removed an app that shows protests and police in Hong Kong. We've updated this story from "four times" to "six times" to reflect that app and the Taiwan flag emoji.
Apple is coming under fire again for its stance on China.
The company reversed its decision to allow HKmap.live into the iOS App Store in Hong Kong, claiming that the map breaks its policies by endangering law enforcement -- something denied by the app's developer and supporters, who say it helps ordinary people avoid trouble spots.
Hong Kong protest map app rejected
Apple eventually gave in and approved the app for release… and then Chinese state media weighed in.
The People's Daily published a commentary saying that the app "incites illegal behavior," accusing Apple of "damaging its reputation and hurting the feeling of consumers."
No Taiwan flag emoji in some regions 🇹🇼
No sensitive words engraved on your Apple products
Apple will let you make custom engravings on your beloved iPads and AirPods, but China has some special restrictions. A number of sensitive topics will show the message “inappropriate words are not allowed” on Apple’s site for China.
Some of these sensitive words are even restricted on the Chinese-language Hong Kong store.
VPN and news apps removed from the app store
China’s Great Firewall keeps China’s large internet population from accessing a large number of foreign websites and slows down traffic for sites that aren’t blocked. Anyone seeking a smoother, uncensored experience online could turn to a virtual private network (VPN)… except on iOS.
The story of China’s Great Firewall, the world’s most sophisticated censorship system
Storing Chinese iCloud data in Guizhou
GCBD later transferred Chinese Apple users’ iCloud data to servers run by China Telecom, one of the three state-run telecom companies in the country.
Before the transfer, the Chinese authorities would have to go through US courts to obtain iCloud data for a specific user. The move triggered widespread concern about the Chinese government's access to the personal data of Chinese Apple users. But the US tech company said that it controls the encryption keys, not its Chinese partner.
Shutting down iBooks, iTunes Movies
To this day, no content is available on the two apps for Chinese users.
In most cases, Apple’s official stance when addressing media is that it’s complying with local laws. But as the removal of the Taiwan flag emoji shows, the reasoning behind Apple’s actions isn’t always transparent.
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