In a move reflecting the increasing regulatory scrutiny on China’s LGBTQ+ community, Apple has removed two prominent gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, from its App Store in China. The tech giant cited an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) as the reason for the takedown. An Apple spokesperson stated, ‘We follow the laws in the countries where we operate,’ emphasizing the company’s compliance with local regulations. While the full versions of both apps are no longer accessible in China, an ‘express’ version of Blued remains available, though its differences from the original are unclear. Finka’s developer had already opted to remove the app outside China earlier this year. This action follows the removal of another popular gay dating app, Grindr, from Apple’s Chinese App Store in 2022. Both Blued and Finka are owned by BlueCity, a Chinese company focused on LGBTQ+ services, which was delisted from Nasdaq in 2022. Apple’s decision underscores its willingness to adhere to Chinese internet regulations, a stance that has been noted by industry experts. George Chen, a partner at The Asia Group, remarked that Apple rarely resists government takedown requests, given the importance of the Chinese market to its global operations. This development highlights the growing challenges faced by China’s LGBTQ+ community, which has seen increased pressure from authorities despite the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1997.