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Apple Inc.
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Consumer electronics, software and online services company (iPhone, Mac, App Store, iCloud). Website ↗
Documented facts (9)
- 11 Nov 2025Authoritarian alignment
Confirmed it had removed Blued and Finka, two of China's most popular gay dating apps, from its Chinese App Store on the order of the Cyberspace Administration of China.
Response: Apple said the removal was "based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China" and that it must follow the laws of the countries where it operates.
- 3 Oct 2025Authoritarian alignment
Removed Eyes Up, an app that archived TikToks, Instagram reels, news reports and videos documenting abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, from the App Store on October 3, 2025, according to its administrator. 404 Media reported that the app had been swept up in Apple's and Google's crackdown on ICE-spotting apps, which started after Department of Justice pressure on Apple to remove ICEBlock, although Eyes Up did not report sightings of ICE officers in real time. Engadget reported that Apple had removed ICEBlock the previous week following, according to Fox Business, a direct request from Attorney General Pam Bondi, and that Eyes Up remained available on the Google Play Store.
Response: According to 404 Media, as reported by Engadget, Apple said it removed Eyes Up for violating its "objectionable content" policy and because it had received information from law enforcement that the app was used "to provide location information about law enforcement officers that can be used to harm such officers individually or as a group."
Removed ICEBlock, an app for reporting the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, and similar apps from the App Store after the US Attorney General Pam Bondi said the Justice Department had demanded it.
Response: Apple said it removed the app "based on information we've received from law enforcement about the safety risks associated with ICEBlock". The app's creator, Joshua Aaron, said he was "incredibly disappointed by Apple's actions".
- Oct 2025Authoritarian alignment
Listed by the White House among the donors funding President Donald Trump's ballroom. Individual amounts were not disclosed. The Washington Post later reported that Apple pledged $25 million, among the largest donations.
- 19 Apr 2024Authoritarian alignment
Removed WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China on the order of the Cyberspace Administration of China, which cited national security concerns.
Response: Apple said: "We are obligated to follow the laws in the countries where we operate, even when we disagree."
- 15 Oct 2021Authoritarian alignment
Removed Quran Majeed, one of the most popular Quran apps, from its App Store in China following a request from Chinese officials; the BBC understood it was removed for hosting illegal religious texts.
Response: Apple declined to comment and referred to its human rights policy, which states it is "required to comply with local laws".
- 17 Sept 2021Authoritarian alignment
Removed the Smart Voting app of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny's allies from its Russian App Store as parliamentary elections began, after Russia demanded the removal and said a refusal would be treated as meddling in the election.
- 10 Oct 2019Authoritarian alignment
Removed HKmap.live, a crowdsourced map of police positions used during the Hong Kong anti-government protests, from the App Store, a day after the Chinese Communist Party newspaper People's Daily attacked Apple over the app.
Response: Apple said the app "has been used to target and ambush police" and "threaten public safety". Tim Cook told employees Apple had received "credible information" that it was being "used maliciously". The app's developers said there was "0 evidence" to support the accusation that the app had been used to target and ambush police.
- 29 Jul 2017Authoritarian alignment
Removed VPN apps used to bypass China's internet censorship, including ExpressVPN, from its App Store in China after the government required VPN providers to hold a state licence.
Response: Apple said: "We have been required to remove some VPN apps in China that do not meet the new regulations. These apps remain available in all other markets where they do business."
Relations
- Apple Inc. is led by John Ternus · Apple NewsroomMacRumors
- Apple Inc. is led by Tim Cook (until 2026) · Apple NewsroomWikipedia
- Apple Inc. is board member Tim Cook · Apple Newsroom
- Apple Inc. is founded by Steve Jobs (until 2011) · WikipediaWikipedia
- Apple Inc. is founded by Steve Wozniak (until 1985) · WikipediaWikipedia