Apple Pulls Gambling Apps Targeted by Chinese State Media

[dssu]

It's disappointing they are pulling VPN apps that might help with escaping the GFW. I find it funny how large tech companies such as Google, Facebook, and Apple - try so hard to adopt a public image promoting western liberal values. However they all end up submitting to political censorship demands for a population of over a billion people.

I read earlier in the month even Google has caved in, despite being an example years ago by refusing to participate in censorship

But then I know their primary priority is to increase revenue/profits. Can't do that by being blocked out of such a massive market.

[krn]

If a company wants to operate in a certain jurisdiction, it has to respect its laws, whether it agrees with them or not. There is simply no way around it. And you could argue, that Chinese democracy is better off with iOS devices even as they are today, than without them at all.

[avcdsuia]

FYI they pulled proxy apps but made switching app store region very easy.

[nielsbot]

Exactly. Apple's like "The App Store is for your protection" but it cuts both ways: It's enabling government control of which software you can install on your device. Unexpected unintended consequences...

[shanghaiaway]

Your primary priority is also to increase revenue.

[pjc50]

This sounds like a mirror image of the US ban on real-money online gambling?

[hour_glass]

sounds like they're cracking down on vpns as well

[baybal2]

Apps including gambling element.

How they found gambling in a calendar app is beyond me.

Overall impression is that they were simply given a list of app urls and they had them block them without any right to question that.

[gowld]

Don't know about this particular incident, but in general gambling is very culturally integrated in Asia is found in many contexts you wouldn't see gambling in other countries.

The weirdest I've seen:

http://www.motorscooterguide.net/Kymco/Bet-Win/Bet-Win.html A motorcycle whose model name is "Bet & win"

[galuggus]

In China I often get spam iMessage texts from illegal gambling services advertising their apps. These apps are often disguised as something else. You download a calendar/video app etc hit the right button and it turns into a casino/sports betting app. During the world cup I was getting 4-5 texts a day.

[Razengan]

I wish the App Store had a clear way for users to report apps.

[le-mark]

> Apple Pulls Illegal Apps Targeted by Chinese State Media (wsj.com)

Illegal in what jurisdiction one wonders?

[CamelCaseName]

In China of course.

FTA: "In China, Apple said it removed nearly 700 virtual private networks, or VPN, apps from its App Store last year in response to new local restrictions."

[neonate]

http://archive.is/BGO4G

[JohnTHaller]

Apple censors app store to comply with authoritarian regime censorship laws

[craftyguy]

gambling apps are not exactly allowed here in the US either, are you insinuating that the US has authoritarian regime censorship laws too?

[gutnor]

or Apple complies with local laws.

Of course it is bad for censorship in autoritarian countries, but I'm glad for the extra customer protections in the EU vs the US.

edit: And I'm also glad that foreign companies need to comply with local laws in my country. Since about everything comes from China directly or indirectly, I would be living in a de-facto Chinese province right now.

[illuminati1911]

The title deceivingly hides the word "gambling" and tries to make it sound like Apple censoring free press or something similar for the Chinese government.

[scarface74]

Exactly. Gambling apps are also illegal in the US and Apple is coming under scrutiny here for “loot boxes”.

[dang]

Ok, we've done a s/Illegal/Gambling/ on the title to make it less misleading. Thanks.

[vengefulduck]

Non Pay walled: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/apple-...

[Shivetya]

I find that outline does a good job https://outline.com/XK3BwM

The story is pretty much no controversy, being that they are eliminating gambling apps