Skype Vanishes From App Stores in China (nytimes.com)

Skype, Microsoft's Internet phone call and messaging service, has been unavailable for download from a number of app stores in China, including Apple's, for almost a month (Editor's note: the link could be paywalled; alternative source), The New York Times reported on Tuesday. From the report: "We have been notified by the Ministry of Public Security that a number of voice over internet protocol apps do not comply with local law. Therefore these apps have been removed from the app store in China," an Apple spokeswoman said Tuesday in an emailed statement responding to questions about Skype's disappearance from the app store. "These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business." The removal led to a volley of complaints from Chinese users on internet message boards who were no longer able to pay for Skype's services through Apple. The users said that the disruption began in late October. Skype, which is owned by Microsoft, still functions in China, and its fate in the country is not yet clear. But its removal from the app stores is the most recent example of a decades-long push by China's government to control and monitor the flow of information online.

Comments

Chairman Xi Jinping has been busy

[evolutionary]

He's been on a very aggressive campaign to stop the flow of in information to/from foreign countries since 2 years ago, and with a fair amount of success. Shutting out any media service that contains any information critical of major government policies (Facebook, Google) as well as any search engines using search engines from those companies (startpage iquick also will not function in China) as well as apps/service that encrypt the data from the Chinese government (WhatsApp and likely many others). Last March policy was implement to limit the influence of foreign books on "young minds".

https://www.theguardian.com/wo...

Another relatively new policy is requiring passpost information for virtually any telecommunications service. That includes buying simcards for phones, trading currency, and even getting a VOIP number in China. (making it the most expensive place to get a local VOIP line). I say "successful" because I've seen in China virtually everyone on Wechat (made by one of the 2 big software companies in China, TenCent). Not only to people keep their entire social lives, have virtually all chat conversations and probably 1/2 of vocal calls going through this app, but virtually 50% of all small-medium retail store transactions are conducted using predeposited money to Wechat accounts. Even taxi drivers are often paid through WeChat. It's so wide spread many people are keeping less cash on their persons in favor of WeChat pay. Ironically, companies collecting this information often do it through the most insecure means. On paper forms, that are sent two and frow, as well as taking pictures of your passpost to register your ID for a sim card on another cell phone. (yikes).

The direction of the current Chairman is clear: Keep data from leaving, keep all transmissions of data (including cultural) monitored and strictly controlled), and reduce/remove sources of data exchange that are not Chinese owned/controlled (meaning the government has complete control). TenCent has probably made increasing financial gains from all this. They have a virtual monopoly on social media in China. People I knew on Skype no longer use skype in favor of WeChat even though skype is not blocked there.