November 11, 2025, 12:45 p.mNovember 11, 2025, 2:37 p.m
In China, authorities are cracking down on popular gay dating apps. As the US company Apple confirmed to the AFP news agency on Tuesday, the apps Blued and Finka were removed from the Chinese app store on the instructions of the Internet authority. Both apps were also no longer available on Android phones.
Users who already had the app could continue to use the app. (symbol image)Image: AP/AP
Chinese users noticed over the weekend that the full versions of Blued and Finka had disappeared from the app stores. However, an entry-level version of Blued was initially still available in Apple’s Chinese app store. According to the information, users who had already installed the apps could continue to use them.
The Hong Kong company Newborn Town, which operates both apps, initially did not respond to a request for comment. The Chinese Internet authority could not initially be reached.
Since 1997, homosexuality has no longer been a criminal offense in China. However, same-sex marriage is still banned, discrimination against queer people is still widespread and LGBTQ topics remain taboo. For example, homosexual love relationships are not allowed to be shown in films.
The authorities have been increasingly taking action against the LGBTQ community in recent years. The English abbreviation LGBTQ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer. (sda/awp/afp)
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