Companies Say Apple Removed Their Privacy Apps From China

WASHINGTON (AP) — China appears to have succeeded in eliminating software programs that enable its people to view an uncensored internet.

Companies that let people avoid the government filters say their programs have been removed from Apple's app store in China.

ExpressVPN, one of the companies, posted on its corporate site a message from Apple saying that its program was "illegal" in China. The British Virgin Islands-based software company says that all major virtual-private network apps were removed from the Apple app store in China. ExpressVPN accused Apple of "aiding China's censorship effort."

Star VPN, another company, says it also received notice of being removed.

The Associated Press has contacted Apple but has yet to receive a response about the programs being eliminated.

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