Apple has reportedly bowed to pressure from the Chinese government by removing two popular gay dating apps from its App Store in the country.

Blued and Finka, which are the two largest dating apps for gay people in China according to The China Project, were pulled from Apple’s app store after the US firm received an order from China’s internet regulator and censorship authority, Wired reported.

“We follow the laws in the countries where we operate,” a spokesperson for Apple said.

“Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only.”

It marks a setback for China’s marginalised LGBTQ+ community, who lack many of the same rights as heterosexual people.

Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1997 but same-sex marria

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