Apple removes China’s leading gay dating apps from App Store after government order

Apple has removed Blued and Finka, two of China’s most popular gay dating applications, from its App Store after receiving an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) — the country’s main internet regulator and censorship authority.

The move, reported by Wired, marks another setback for China’s already restricted LGBTQ+ community. An Apple spokesperson confirmed the action, stating that the company follows the laws of every market in which it operates. The spokesperson said the apps had been removed from the China App Store in compliance with the CAC directive. While existing users can still access the services, new downloads have been blocked across both iOS and Android platforms.

The removal highlights Beijing’s continued tightening of control over LGBTQ+ expression and digital freedom. Although homosexuality was decriminalised in the late 1990s, same-sex marriage remains unrecognised in China, and in recent years, authorities have intensified censorship and surveillance of queer communities. Prominent LGBTQ+ organisations have been shuttered, and major social media platforms have systematically removed or muted queer-related content.

This latest action follows similar removals in previous years — most notably that of Grindr, which disappeared from Apple’s Chinese App Store in 2022.

Blued, one of the largest gay social networks in the world, reportedly had 49 million registered users and 6 million monthly active users as of 2020. Earlier this year, the platform temporarily suspended new user registrations in July without explanation, sparking a black market for access where users were paying up to $20 for second-hand accounts. Registrations resumed in mid-August, though the app has since faced heightened scrutiny.

Finka, which caters primarily to younger users, has also been removed from multiple app stores following the government’s order.

While some Chinese apps have returned to digital storefronts after making state-mandated content adjustments, no timeline has been provided for when or if Blued or Finka will be reinstated.