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Apple Removes NYTimes App in China, Shows How Far It Is Willing To Go To Please Local Authority (theguardian.com)

Apple has removed the New York Times app from its store in China after a government request, in an example of how far the company will go to please the authorities in its third-largest market. From a report: China operates what is thought to be the largest internet censorship regime in the world, blocking thousands of foreign websites viewed as a threat by the ruling Communist party. Google, Twitter, Facebook Youtube and Instagram are all inaccessible. Apple removed the English and Chinese-language versions of the New York Times app on 23 December, although it was not immediately clear why. "We have been informed that the app is in violation of local regulations," said Carolyn Wu, an Apple spokeswoman. "As a result the app must be taken down off the China app store. When this situation changes the app store will once again offer the New York Times app for download in China."

2 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. Including laws for unsafe labor practices. by emil · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Aluminum machining for iPhone cases produces combustible metallic dust that can cause classic thermite reactions. This dust ignited in the Chinese manufacturing facility, turning it into a crematorium that killed four people.

    Responsible management, union regulations, and OSHA largely make that impossible in the United States.

    Apple should insist on higher standards. And this is hardly their only excess that has taken lives.

  2. Re:I'm not sure this will be surprising to anyone by SmaryJerry · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The difference is the US tells you what laws we're broken. China makes up reasons it is illegal, most likely because the app doesn't give some sort of backdoor access to monitor users. China literally requires government employees to be present in your physical location so they can monitor everything you do and say.