New York Times App withdrawn from iTunes store in China over censorship issues
Apple has been compelled to pull out its New York Times app from the Chinese domain, owing to some censorship issues from the Chinese government. This is not the first time the Chinese government has coerced American-based news websites to cease operations in the country. The motives behind this harsh treatment of foreign websites and applications in China are unclear, but their repercussions are considerably detrimental.
More and more Chinese people won't have access to global and international news. This means that their sentiments on universal issues will always remain barred, hence isolating the Chinese people from global consciousness.According to CNET, the concerned Chinese bodies authorized Apple to halt any operations of the New York Times app in China, including the firm's Chinese and English versions on iTunes store.
Fred Sainz, who is Apple's spokesman aired his view on why Apple had to comply with the demands from the Chinese authorities. He outlined that in the past the New York Times app has been receiving massive pressure from the government to terminate its undertakings in China. Disproportionate censoring of the app's content from the Chinese government has meant that users of the app have been receiving scanty and substandard information.
New York Times on its part has been censoring their content so as to keep the app afloat in China and to ensure that it stays in line with the local regulations.Unfortunately, even after so many efforts to comply, the New York Times App has been eventually terminated temporarily on China's iTunes store. Fortune editors confirmed that Eileen Murphy, who is the New York Times spokeswoman is pushing for restoration of the app in China, as she told Reuters.
Apple is at a tight spot to comply with all the orders issued by the Chinese government. In the past they have had to withdraw several news apps from their Chinese store, in a bid to protect their interests in the Chinese market. China is a high potential market for Apple products and this explains why the company wouldn't hesitate to withdraw an app if the authorities asked for it.
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