TOP STORIES / Business
Skype disappears from China app stores
Skype has apparently joined the lengthening list of internet communication tools on China's blacklist, with Apple saying it was ordered to clear its download store of apps that violate national laws.
Responding to media reports about the absence of the Microsoft-owned messaging app on the China Apple Store or Android sites, Apple said on Wednesday it had removed several internet phone call apps from its store after the country's government said they violated local laws. Skype Business, a separate app tailored more for corporate use, was still available for download.
"We have been notified by the Ministry of Public Security that a number of voice over internet protocol [VOIP] apps do not comply with local law, therefore these apps have been removed from the App Store in China," an Apple spokeswoman told the news agency Reuters. "These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business," she added.
Skype's disappearance from the App Store came to light on Tuesday as Apple told two US senators that it had removed 674 VPN apps so far this year, at the request of the Chinese government. Apple said it had "questioned the legal basis of the request" but was told that the affected VPN operators were in violation of Chinese cyber security law.
Read more: China's internet crackdown reaches new level of restriction
China has increased scrutiny of internet applications this year, ordering firms to remove hundreds of apps that allow users to communicate confidentially or get around China's so-called "Great Firewall" system of censorship and use overseas social media.
Companies in China hit by online censorship
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2m3QY
China crackdown
The new Chinese rules also require tech companies to store user data inside the country as well as imposing new restrictions on what is permissible content. Chinese authorities have ordered all network providers to verify the real names of users with state-issued IDs or passports.
The authorities said such actions were designed to protect personal privacy and prevent online terrorist activity.
Read more: Sieren's China: The battle for a more secure internet
The moves have prompted speculation on the Chinese internet that authorities were moving against services with effective encryption, like WhatsApp and Skype, that make them less vulnerable to government monitoring.
Some foreign firms, including Amazon and Apple have this year handed over parts of their business to local affiliates, often citing compliance with the new cybersecurity laws.
China has for years blocked leading foreign websites or services including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and a number of news organizations.
uhe/tr (Reuters, AFP)
Related Subjects Sci-Tech, People's Republic of China, Technology
Keywords Technology, Skype, China, Internet crackdown
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/2o1qk
Explained: Huawei's Meng Wanzhou US extradition trial 20.01.2020
Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei's founder and the company's chief financial officer, is in a Vancouver court to fight extradition to the US. DW examines why Monday's hearing is so important?
Hundreds of US police departments using 'dystopian' face recognition app — report 18.01.2020
A new report in US media has people worried about their privacy as more police forces sign on to use the program. Clearview AI offers facial recognition software that can identify a person even in poor-quality images.
Germany's Seehofer warns of 5G delays if Huawei is excluded 18.01.2020
Germany's interior minister says he opposes excluding Huawei from building the 5G network, despite criticism from Washington. Leaving out the Chinese firm could delay a new network by up to 10 years, he said.
Social entrepreneurs bring fair trade spirit to Davos
Inequality and climate change are among the issues social entrepreneurs are addressing.
First bird flu case reported in Germany
The first case of bird flu in Germany this winter has been discovered near the Polish border, with an outbreak already causing havoc throughout Eastern Europe. Half a million birds had to be culled in Germany in 2017.
Macron, Trump agree to hold off on digital tax for tech giants
Paris and Washington have agreed to extend negotiations on disputes over a French digital tax to the end of 2020, postponing Trump's threat of sanctions. The two presidents have agreed to avoid a trade war.
Austria: 2 German skiers die in Tyrol
Two German skiers have died in skiing accidents in the Alpine region of Tyrol. The area, well known for its winter sports, is a popular spot for German tourists at this time of year.