Apple Pulls China’s Top Gay Dating Apps After Government Order
The removal of Blued and Finka marks another setback for China’s marginalized LGBTQ+ community In a move that has sent shockwaves through China's LGBTQ+ community, Apple has removed Blued and Finka—the country's two most prominent gay dating apps—from its App Store in mainland China.
Kylo B
12/19/2025
Apple Pulls China’s Top Gay Dating Apps After Government Order
The removal of Blued and Finka marks another setback for China’s marginalized LGBTQ+ community
In a move that has sent shockwaves through China's LGBTQ+ community, Apple has removed Blued and Finka—the country's two most prominent gay dating apps—from its App Store in mainland China. The takedown, confirmed on November 9, 2025, followed a direct order from the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), the nation's primary internet regulator and censorship body. Reports of the apps vanishing surfaced on Chinese social media over the weekend, with users noting their absence from both iOS and several Android app stores.
Apple spokesperson stated: "We follow the laws in the countries where we operate. Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only." The company emphasized that the apps were already limited internationally, Finka's developer voluntarily pulled it from non-China storefronts earlier in 2025, while Blued was China-exclusive. Existing users with the apps installed installed can still access them, but new downloads are blocked.
Blued and Finka, Lifelines for China's Queer Community
Blued, launched in 2012, is not just China's largest gay dating app but claims to be the world's biggest, with over 49 million registered users and 6 million monthly active users at its 2020 peak. Its parent company, BlueCity (now under Newborn Town), went public that year and acquired rival Finka for $33 million, consolidating dominance in the domestic market. Finka targeted younger gay and bisexual men with social networking features.
Beyond matchmaking, BlueCity operated HIV/AIDS prevention nonprofits and healthcare services, making Blued a vital resource for sexual health in a country where stigma persists. Blued's international version rebranded to HeeSay in 2024 and remains available elsewhere, gaining traction in India, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
The apps filled a critical gap: Most global LGBTQ+ platforms, including Grindr (removed in 2022), are already blocked in China. For many users, Blued and Finka were safe spaces for connection amid conservative attitudes.
A Pattern of Crackdowns on LGBTQ+ Visibility
This isn't isolated. China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997 and removed it from its mental disorder list in 2001, but same-sex marriage remains unrecognized, and LGBTQ+ content faces heavy censorship. Recent years have seen prominent gay rights groups shut down, social media accounts censored, and queer storylines scrubbed from media.
Blued itself halted new registrations in July 2025 without explanation, reopening in August, possibly a precursor. Human Rights Watch notes growing public acceptance clashing with state repression under the Chinese Communist Party's tightening grip on civil society.
On X, reactions poured in: Users shared headlines decrying the move as a blow to queer visibility, with posts like "Apple told to remove LGBTQ+ dating apps by China" highlighting global outrage.
Apple's Compliance and Broader Implications
Apple's actions align with its policy of adhering to local laws, but critics accuse it of enabling censorship to maintain market access, China accounts for a fifth of its revenue. The company has removed tens of thousands of apps in China since 2017, far more than elsewhere.
It's unclear if the ban is permanent; some apps return after modifications. For now, the removal isolates China's LGBTQ+ community further, forcing reliance on VPNs, web versions, or underground alternatives, riskier in a surveillance-heavy state.
As one expert told WIRED, this "marks another setback for China’s marginalized LGBTQ+ community." In a digital era where apps foster belonging, their erasure underscores the precarious fight for queer rights in China. Advocates call for international pressure, but with tech giants prioritizing profits, change feels distant. The community endures, finding ways to connect, one encrypted message at a time.