Apple removes WhatsApp and Threads from China App Store following government order

What just happened? Apple has once again kowtowed to the Chinese government by removing Meta’s WhatsApp and Threads apps from the mainland China App Store. Apple said it was ordered to do so at the request of the Cyberspace Administration of China, which claimed the demand was related to national security concerns. Telegram and Signal were also deleted from the store. The four apps are some of the many Western services and products already blocked by China’s Great Firewall, but users can bypass these restrictions using VPNs. Reuters writes that other Meta apps, including Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger, were still…