Grindr vanishes from app stores in China as content purge continues
Grindr has been removed from several app stores in China as authorities continue to police online content and behaviour. LGBTQ+ content in the country is frequently censored or banned, despite homosexuality being decriminalised there in 1997.
With China celebrating the lunar new year holiday period and being closer than ever to the Winter Olympics, its cyber authority is working to take down illegal and sensitive content.
This often includes online behaviour that the Communist party ruling the country dislikes. Last week, it was announced that the Cyberspace Administration of China would be undertaking a month-long campaign to remove what it deemed problematic content, such as pornography.
According to Apple, Grindr’s developers removed it from China’s App Store. It was no longer available by 27 January, data from researchers at Qimai confirmed – sparking concerns that it had been targeted as part of the crackdown.
