Apple Removes Major LGBTQ Dating Apps Blued and Finka from Chinese App Store Following Government Orders

Apple has confirmed the removal of two major Chinese gay dating applications, Blued and Finka, following directives from Chinese authorities, highlighting increased restrictions on the LGBTQ community in China.

In an official statement, an Apple spokesperson explained that the company removed the dating applications from China's App Store "based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China," adding that "We follow the laws in the countries where we operate."

Verification by The Associated Press on Tuesday confirmed that both applications are unavailable on Apple's App Store in China, though an "express" version of Blued remains accessible. The differences between the full and express versions remain unclear, as does the availability of Android versions.

According to Apple, Blued was available "only in China," while Finka's developer "elected to remove the app" from markets outside China earlier this year.

This removal follows a pattern of restrictions, with another popular gay dating application, Grindr, having been removed from Apple's Chinese App Store in 2022.

China's LGBTQ community faces increasing governmental pressure despite homosexuality being decriminalized in 1997. Recent years have witnessed multiple LGBTQ organizations forced to cease operations, with activism becoming increasingly constrained.

Both Blued and Finka operate under the same parent company, BlueCity, a China-founded corporation focused on serving LGBTQ communities domestically and internationally. BlueCity was delisted from Nasdaq in 2022 when it transitioned to private ownership.

Reports from last year indicate Apple also removed other applications including WhatsApp and Threads from its Chinese App Store following orders from the Cyberspace Administration of China.

George Chen, partner and co-chair of digital practice at The Asia Group, observed that "Among all foreign tech companies that provide services to Chinese users, Apple is probably the one which is most willing to comply with Chinese internet regulations."

Chen further noted that Apple "rarely pushes back on Chinese government's takedown requests" because the Chinese market, including iPhone sales, is "too important" for the company.