Shane Cole
For the second time in three months, Apple has come under fire for its decision to remove an app designed to circumvent internet censorship in the People's Republic of China.
The app, called FreeWeibo, bypasses government restrictions on the Twitter-like Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo and was pulled from the App Store on Friday, according to a report from Agence France-Presse. The app's developer told AFP they believe the Chinese government ordered the takedown.
FreeWeibo, developed in cooperation with Radio Netherlands, offers "uncensored and anonymous Sina Weibo search" and ignores "relevant laws, legislation and policy," according to the service's website. AppleInsider verified the app was unavailable when accessing the mainland Chinese App Store from Hong Kong.
A FreeWeibo representative told AFP that Apple's App Review Board informed the developers the app was removed "because it goes against local laws." Apple has historically erred on the side of caution when dealing with apps that may run afoul of local legislation, especially in China.
In October, the company removed an app called Open Door that allowed iOS device users to bypass internet firewalls, including the so-called "Great Firewall of China." Another app that gave Chinese users access to books banned by the Chinese central government was similarly pulled in April.
The Chinese market is an increasingly important one for Apple, even as controversy swirls around the company's App Store policies and the labor practices of its Chinese suppliers. Apple books nearly $5 billion in revenue from the east Asian nation each quarter, and is said to be nearing an agreement to bring the iPhone to China Mobile, the world's largest wireless carrier, in a deal that some analysts believe could add as much as $10 billion to Apple's bottom line each year.
Christine McKee
Malcolm Owen
William Gallagher
40 Comments
Cue the "Apple should tell China to go f*** themselves." whiners. Apple (like all the other companies) has to abide by the rules of the particular country where their products are sold. Fix the government. This is not Apple's problem.
They have to obey the laws of the countries in which they operate. Not really news.
Instead of putting Apple under fire, why not actually fix the problem and put the commies in China under fire? You know, the ones who are responsible for this in the first place? Because if Apple doesn't listen, they'll just ban Apple entirely, just like if Google doesn't listen, they'll ban Google entirely.
Post written in TextEdit and copied onto the site because of Huddler unusability.
Like it or not, if you want to do business in China, you have to follow their rules. Here's actually a good case for Android where you can side load any app you want.
Most of these complaining devs with delisted firewall apps (like open door) were just wrapping a simple proxy setting with adware or IAP nagware. Sources in China state that it's simple to work around censorship, and such nickel&dime apps are just predatory junkware.
This is much to do about nothing. FIRST: Apple has to OBEY THE LAWS of any country it does business in. This includes the United States. This includes China. Otherwise, Apple would have to stop doing business in China. Since Chinese affluent people make up 3% of the world's population, but buy 30% of the world's luxury goods, this would not make any business sense. China gives Apple a potential 700 MILLION customers. --- SECOND: The Chinese are not going to change their sense of morality or their laws even if you don't like them. To change would be like the United States bowing before Muslim morals and law in some countries where woman cannot wear bikinis, where woman have to wear hoods so their faces can't be seen, where women cannot drive. Tit for Tat. Good luck with that.