Beijing, China – November 11, 2025 – In a move that has sent ripples through China's already marginalized LGBTQ+ community, Apple Inc. has removed two of the country's most prominent gay dating apps, Blued and Finka, from its Chinese App Store. The decision, confirmed by the tech giant on Tuesday, follows a direct order from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the nation's powerful internet oversight body. This action underscores the ongoing tensions between global corporations and Beijing's stringent content controls, particularly those targeting queer digital spaces.
Apple's spokesperson addressed the removal in a statement shared with multiple outlets, emphasizing the company's adherence to local laws. "We follow the laws in the countries where we operate. Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only," the statement read. The company clarified that the apps had limited international availability prior to this: Finka's developers voluntarily withdrew it from non-Chinese stores earlier in 2025, while Blued was already geo-restricted primarily to the Chinese market, with its global counterpart operating under the name HeeSay.
The disappearance of Blued and Finka was first noticed by users over the weekend, sparking widespread chatter on Chinese social media platforms like Weibo. Screenshots and complaints flooded timelines, with many expressing frustration over the sudden unavailability for new downloads. While the full versions of both apps have vanished from the iOS App Store and select Android platforms, a "lite" edition of Blued remains downloadable in China, according to checks by CNBC. Users who had previously installed the apps report that they continue to function normally, allowing existing communities to persist—for now.
Blued, launched in 2012 by entrepreneur Ma Baoli, a former police officer, has long been a lifeline for gay and bisexual men in China. Modeled initially after the U.S. app Jack'd, it evolved into a multifaceted platform combining location-based dating, live streaming, and health services like HIV testing kits. At its peak, Blued boasted over 60 million registered users worldwide and more than 6 million monthly active users, according to BlueCity Holdings, its parent company. In 2020, BlueCity went public on Nasdaq, and the same year, it acquired Finka for approximately $33 million, solidifying its dominance in the niche market.
Finka, introduced in 2018 and also under BlueCity's umbrella, catered to a younger demographic with features like anonymous browsing, photo blurring for privacy, and gamified social interactions. It quickly amassed millions of users, positioning itself as a vibrant alternative to Blued's more established network. Both apps, owned by Hong Kong-based Newborn Town (which holds a majority stake in BlueCity), were among the few LGBTQ+-focused platforms to thrive in China's heavily censored digital ecosystem—partly by incorporating state-approved elements like public health initiatives.
This is not an isolated incident. Grindr, the U.S.-based gay dating app, was delisted from China's App Store in 2022 amid tightened cybersecurity and data privacy regulations that mandate domestic storage of user information. The platform's removal highlighted Beijing's broader strategy to control foreign apps perceived as threats to national security or social harmony. More recently, in July 2025, Blued itself suspended new user registrations without explanation, forcing some users to turn to underground markets on sites like Taobao to buy second-hand accounts for up to 20 yuan (about $2.80 USD). Registrations resumed in mid-August, but the episode fueled speculation about impending regulatory scrutiny.
China's LGBTQ+ community has navigated a precarious landscape for decades. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1997 and removed from the list of mental illnesses in 2001, marking tentative progress. Yet, same-sex marriage remains unrecognized, and legal protections against discrimination are virtually nonexistent. Media portrayals of queer lives are routinely censored; films, TV shows, and online content featuring LGBTQ+ themes often face bans or heavy edits under CAC guidelines. Advocacy groups have shuttered under pressure—Beijing LGBT Center closed in 2023 after 15 years—and surveillance of queer gatherings has intensified, with police raids on bars and events reported sporadically.
Experts view the app removals as part of a larger pattern of "erasure" tactics employed by the Chinese government. "These platforms weren't just dating apps; they were vital community hubs in a country where offline queer spaces are scarce and risky," said Travis S. K. Kong, a sociology professor at the University of Hong Kong, in comments to WIRED. The timing is particularly stark, coming just months after Pride Month 2025 saw subdued online celebrations amid crackdowns on "unhealthy" content. Activists worry that without these apps, users may resort to riskier alternatives like VPNs to access blocked international services, exposing them to further monitoring.
For Apple, the episode lays bare the ethical tightrope it walks in China, its second-largest market after the U.S., generating over $70 billion in annual revenue there. CEO Tim Cook, who came out as gay in a 2014 Bloomberg essay, has been a vocal champion of LGBTQ+ rights globally. Under his leadership, Apple has released Pride-themed product editions annually, donated millions to organizations like The Trevor Project, and incorporated inclusive features into its software, such as gender-neutral Siri responses. Cook has personally advocated for equality, testifying before U.S. Congress in 2015 on the importance of anti-discrimination laws.
Yet, Apple's track record in China reveals compromises. In 2018, the company removed LGBTQ+ content from its Chinese iTunes store, including films like "The Danish Girl" and apps like "Boys' Love." A 2021 internal memo, leaked to Reuters, instructed employees to steer clear of discussing China's human rights record in external communications. Critics, including Amnesty International, have accused the firm of "prioritizing profits over principles." In response to the latest removals, Cook has not issued a personal statement, but Apple's boilerplate defense—that it must comply with local laws—has drawn fresh backlash from queer advocates abroad.
"This highlights the hypocrisy in tech giants' global branding," noted Patrick Strudwick, a queer rights commentator, in a Mashable op-ed. "Apple sells rainbows in the West but bows to censorship in the East." On Weibo, Chinese users have voiced similar sentiments, with hashtags like #BluedDisappeared trending briefly before moderators intervened. One anonymous poster lamented, "In a country that pretends we don't exist, these apps were our only safe corner."
The fate of Blued and Finka remains uncertain. Past precedents suggest possible reinstatement if developers implement CAC-mandated changes, such as enhanced content moderation or data localization. BlueCity has not commented publicly, but its shares dipped 3% in after-hours trading on Nasdaq following the news. For now, the LGBTQ+ community in China—estimated at tens of millions—must adapt once more, underscoring the fragility of digital lifelines in an era of escalating controls.
As global scrutiny mounts, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the geopolitical costs of market access. Will it prompt Apple to reassess its China strategy, or is it just another chapter in the tech titan's balancing act? Only time—and perhaps the next regulatory directive—will tell.
