China Makin Ganas, Aplikasi Pengganti WhatsApp Diblokir
Foto: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
- Sejumlah aplikasi telah dihapus Apple dari App Store berdasarkan permintaan pemerintah China. Dua di antaranya adalah Telegram dan Signal.
Penghapusan tersebut dilaporkan perusahaan pelacakan aplikasi Qimai dan App Magic. Kedua aplikasi pesan itu telah diblokir menyusul tindakan serupa pada pesaingnya, WhatsApp yang dilakukan belum lama ini, dikutip dari Reuters, Senin (22/4/2024).
Threads yang juga berasal dari Meta seperti WhatsApp ikut diblokir oleh Apple. Permintaan penghapusan oleh pemerintahan Xi Jinping dilakukan dengan alasan masalah keamanan nasional.
Tidak dijelaskan bagaimana aplikasi-aplikasi tersebut bisa menyebabkan masalah keamanan untuk China. Apple hanya mengatakan pihaknya wajib mengikuti perintah tersebut meski tak setuju.
"Lembaga ruang siber China memerintahkan penghapusan aplikasi dari etalase China berdasarkan kekhawatiran keamanan nasional mereka," jelas Apple dalam pernyataannya.
"Kami wajib mengikuti hukum negara tempat kami beroperasi, meskipun tidak setuju," imbuh perusahaan.
Apple tak menanggapi komentar soal pemblokiran Signal dan Telegram. Kedua perusahaan tak segera membalas permintaan berkomentar. Meta menolak berkomentar dan merujuk pada pernyataan Apple. Lembaga ruang siber China juga tidak langsung memberikan permintaan komentar.
Berdasarkan laporan Reuters pekan lalu, sejumlah aplikasi populer masih bisa diakses. Mulai dari Facebook, Instagram dan Messenger yang berasal dari Meta, begitu juga dengan YouTube dan X (yang dulunya bernama Twitter).
China is getting more vicious, WhatsApp replacement application is blocked
Photo: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic
- Apple has removed a number of applications from the App Store at the request of the Chinese government. Two of them are Telegram and Signal.
The removal was reported by app tracking companies Qimai and App Magic. The two messaging applications have been blocked following similar actions on its competitor, WhatsApp, which was carried out recently, quoted by Reuters, Monday (22/4/2024).
Threads that also come from Meta such as WhatsApp are also blocked by Apple. The removal request by Xi Jinping's government was made citing national security concerns.
It was not explained how these applications could cause security problems for China. Apple only said that it was obliged to follow the order even if it didn't agree.
"Chinese cyberspace agencies ordered the removal of the app from China's storefront based on their national security concerns," Apple explained in its statement.
"We are obliged to follow the laws of the countries in which we operate, even if we disagree," the company added.
Apple did not respond to comments regarding blocking Signal and Telegram. Both companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Meta declined to comment and referred to Apple's statement. China's cyberspace agency also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Based on a Reuters report last week, a number of popular applications can still be accessed. Starting from Facebook, Instagram and Messenger which originate from Meta, as well as YouTube and X (which was previously called Twitter).