Apple has removed two of China's most popular gay dating apps from its App Store in the country. The company acted after receiving an order from China's internet regulators. This decision affects millions of users and continues a pattern of growing restrictions on LGBTQ+ spaces in China .
The removed apps are Blued and Finka. Both are owned by the same parent company, BlueCity. An Apple spokesperson confirmed the removal. They said the company follows the laws in countries where it operates. The order came from the Cyberspace Administration of China . The apps were removed only from the Chinese storefront. They were already unavailable in other countries .
Blued is China's most prominent gay dating app. It had over 40 million registered users globally. The app also offered services like livestreaming. Finka was acquired by Blued's parent company in 2020 . As of Tuesday, checks showed both apps were gone from Apple's Chinese iOS store. However, a "lite" or "express" version of Blued remained available for download. The difference between the full and lite versions was not immediately clear . Users who had already installed the apps appeared to still be able to use them. The apps were also still available for download from their official websites for Android users .
This is not the first time Apple has complied with such requests in China. In 2022, the U.S.-based gay dating app Grindr was removed from the iOS store in China . In 2024, Apple also removed Meta's WhatsApp and Threads following an order from Chinese authorities . China runs a separate app store with strict internet laws. Many Western social media platforms are blocked there .
The removal of Blued and Finka has caused concern within China's LGBTQ+ community. One anonymous founder of an LGBT organization said he was "extremely shocked." He noted that the living space for sexual minorities has been shrinking. He found it difficult to understand why apps that contribute to social stability would be removed . On Chinese social media, one user compared the feeling to being "a frog being boiled in warm water." They worried this would make secrecy the norm for gay people .
Sam Chan, a digital cultures lecturer at the University of Sydney, explained these apps are crucial. He said they help queer men in a relatively conservative society find community and a sense of belonging. Their removal takes away the most accessible means of connection for many. Chan sees this as a sign of a "less tolerant stance by the state" .
Homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997. It was removed from the list of mental disorders in 2001. However, same-sex marriage is not legal. There is no official recognition of gay relationships . In recent years, advocacy groups have faced increasing pressure. Major organizations like the Beijing LGBT Center and Shanghai Pride have ceased operations . In September 2025, a U.S. movie featuring a same-sex wedding was altered for release in China. One character was digitally changed from a man to a woman .
The Chinese government has introduced stricter rules for apps. In 2023, new policies required all apps serving local users to register with the government and get licenses. This led to many foreign apps being removed . The Cyberspace Administration of China said these rules aim to promote a healthy and standardized internet industry . The regulator could not be reached for comment on the removal of Blued and Finka .
George Chen, a partner at The Asia Group, commented on Apple's compliance. He said Apple is probably the foreign tech company most willing to follow Chinese internet rules. Chen noted that Apple rarely pushes back on takedown requests. The Chinese market, including iPhone sales, is too important for the company .
The removal of these major gay dating apps marks another reduction in digital spaces for China's LGBTQ+ community. It reflects the broader challenges faced by sexual minorities in the country as online and public spaces continue to shrink .