Apple said on Tuesday it has removed several apps including Skype from its app store in China after the country’s government pointed to violations of local laws. “We have been notified by the Ministry of Public Security that a number of voice over internet protocol apps do not comply with local law, therefore these apps have been removed from the App Store in China,” an Apple spokeswoman told Reuters. Skype is the latest addition to the list of internet platforms, including Google services, Facebook and Twitter, which has become inaccessible to Chinese users. In recent years, Beijing has pursued a series of laws and regulations that have raised concerns from foreign companies trying to expand their user base across the country. Last year, the Chinese government regulated online publication to rein in the internet, as it perceives the web to be a crucial domain for controlling public opinion and eliminating anti-Beijing sentiment.
China Economic Review