The country is continuing its clampdown on the use of virtual private networks to get around its notorious internet filter.
The makers of VPN apps say Apple told them their apps were removed from its China App Store because they contain “content that is illegal in China.”
ExpressVPN said Saturday it received a letter from Apple saying its iOS app was taken down. The reason for the removal? “It includes content that is illegal in China, which is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines, ” the letter states. The news was reported earlier by The New York Times.
ExpressVPN said in the blog post that after some initial research it found “all major VPN apps for iOS have been removed.” In a tweet, Star VPN on Saturday also said it received a notice from Apple .
Responding to a request for comment, Apple said the country’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology earlier this year “announced that all developers offering VPNs must obtain a license from the government.
