Blued and Finka were removed from Apple’s App Store.

LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance have taken another hit in China, with Apple removing two of the countries biggest LGBTQ+ dating apps. Wired reports that Blued and Finka are no longer available on the iOS App Store or certain Android App Stores following orders from the Cyberspace Administration of China, the country’s internet regulator and censor.

Apple told Wired that it must “follow the laws in the countries where we operate.” Both dating apps were available solely in China, where LGBTQ+ dating apps are minimal — Grindr, for instance, hasn’t been available on Apple since 2022. Blued exists internationally under the name HeeSay.

China has increasingly cracked down on LGBTQ+ individuals’ rights and groups in recent years, allegedly shuttering large organizations like the Beijing LGBT Center in 2023. For reasons unknown, Blued previously stopped new registrations this past July, with individuals buying second-hand accounts to use the app. However, it reopened in the middle of August.

  • theoneandonlyeggboi@lemmings.world
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    12 hours ago

    Apple told Wired that it must “follow the laws in the countries where we operate.”

    Businesses always lie about supporting queer causes. They only care about the money.

    If it was more profitable to be fascist nazis, that’s what they would do.

    • Railison@aussie.zone
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      10 hours ago

      I mean, it didn’t stop them from disobeying laws in western countries and the EU. They will comply when they know there’s no way to wiggle out of it

    • SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world
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      12 hours ago

      As someone else mentioned, if he didn’t cave & risked losing the China market, the board would replace him in a heartbeat with someone who will do whatever it takes to keep the money flowing.

      I can only imagine this pains him to do seeing as he’s gay himself.