Amazon’s audiobook service Audible said Friday it had removed apps for reading the Koran and the Bible from its Apple store in mainland China due to government “permission requirements”.
Developers of other Quran and Bible apps, including Olive Tree Bible Software in the US, also said their apps were removed from the Apple store at the request of the government.
The removal is an example of China’s increasingly stringent regulation of internet companies.
The government is tightening its internet controls in addition to controls over online information, making it increasingly difficult to ascertain the reasons behind the removal.
This year alone, China has assumed greater control over the algorithms tech companies use to modify content, limiting children’s exposure to video games and seeking to tighten data privacy restrictions.
Associated Press on Friday (15/10) said Chinese Embassy spokesman Liu Pengyu in Washington rejected the news agency’s request to speak about removing the apps. However, Liu said in a statement that the Chinese government “always encourages and supports the development of the internet.”
“At the same time, internet development in China must also comply with Chinese laws and regulations,” he added.
Apple declined to comment. [vm/ft]
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