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Apple has removed a number of foreign-made VPN software apps, that enable people in China to view an uncensored internet, from its App Store in the country.
Companies that let people avoid the government filters have revealed that their programs have been removed.
ExpressVPN posted on its corporate site a message from Apple saying that its program was illegal in China.
VPNs removed from China App Store. Dismayed Apple sided w/ censorship, but we're committed to keeping you connected: https://t.co/wvVk6IIsD3
— ExpressVPN (@expressvpn) July 29, 2017
The British Virgin Islands-based software company says that all major virtual-private network apps were removed from the Apple App Store in China.
ExpressVPN claimed Apple was “aiding China’s censorship effort”.
Star VPN, another company, said it also received notice of being removed.
We just received notice that @Apple removing all the @VPN apps from the @China app store.
— Star VPN (@star_vpn) July 29, 2017
Apple said in a statement that China began requiring this year that developers of virtual-private networks have a government licence.
The California-based tech giant said it had removed apps “in China that do not meet the new regulations”.
