Apple has removed Skype from the App Store in China following a request from the Ministry of Public Security …
Apple confirmed the action to the NY Times.
For the moment, Skype does continue to operate in the country, but the paper says that it’s unclear how long this will remain the case. The government uses the so-called Great Firewall of China to block access to both websites and a number of messaging services, including Gmail, Facebook, Telegram, Twitter and – most recently – WhatsApp.
It’s believed that the government blocks apps that use end-to-end encryption, as well as services that don’t comply with government rules on identifying accounts by the full names of their users. The government is also hostile to foreign messaging apps in general.
Microsoft, which owns Skype, said that the app has been “temporarily removed” from Apple’s store and that the company was “working to reinstate the app as soon as possible.” The NY Times notes that Microsoft did not comment on Skype’s removal from other app stores.
The pessimist might say that it means Microsoft is working with Chinese authorities to enable them to eavesdrop on Skype conversations (hopefully just) inside the country though I don’t that to be verified by any party.
Back in the summer, Apple announced that it was opening a new data center in China to comply with new laws that require foreign companies to store data within the country, partnering with local businesses to do so.
Photo: Digital Trends
