Apple Pulls Keyboard App Used to Bypass Coronavirus Censorship in China

Apple has pulled an app that allowed Chinese users to bypass censorship of coronavirus information from the Chinese version of its App Store.

“Boom the Encryption Keyboard” is an app that encrypts typed text into emojis or Japanese Korean alphabets that can only be decoded by the receiver’s device.

Both encryption and decryption happens locally in order to keep the information private.

However, according to the developer, Wang Huiya, the app is no longer available.

On he explained (translated) that the app “has been removed from the China mainland App Store solely and it is still available in other regions.

Though the app doesn't aim counter-surveillance on purpose, it triggered and my multiple social media accounts has been removed premaritally.”

Wang says he was sent an email by Apple because his application contained “content that is illegal in China.” Apparently, the app is still available in other countries, and can still be downloaded in Hong Kong.

“I designed the app because I wanted to remind people of the importance of privacy, and my target customers are people born after 1995 or 2000.

I feel those under 20 will be able to accept new things and ideas the fastest,” Wang told Quartz.

Wang also believes that the app drew attention from the Chinese authorities because it was being used to share an article from a Wuhan doctor who was reprimanded for informing people about the coronavirus.

This would not be the only instance of the Chinese authorities seemingly censoring information about the coronavirus.

A recent study found that two popular social media apps in China, YY and WeChat, were apparently stopping keywords related to COVID-19 from being shared outside of the country, either through controls over the apps’ servers or locally on the device. 

Apple has pulled an app that allowed Chinese users to bypass censorship of coronavirus information from the Chinese version of its App Store.

“Boom the Encryption Keyboard” is an app that encrypts typed text into emojis or Japanese Korean alphabets that can only be decoded by the receiver’s device.

Both encryption and decryption happens locally in order to keep the information private.

However, according to the developer, Wang Huiya, the app is no longer available.

On he explained (translated) that the app “has been removed from the China mainland App Store solely and it is still available in other regions.

Though the app doesn't aim counter-surveillance on purpose, it triggered and my multiple social media accounts has been removed premaritally.”

Wang says he was sent an email by Apple because his application contained “content that is illegal in China.” Apparently, the app is still available in other countries, and can still be downloaded in Hong Kong.

“I designed the app because I wanted to remind people of the importance of privacy, and my target customers are people born after 1995 or 2000.

I feel those under 20 will be able to accept new things and ideas the fastest,” Wang told Quartz.

Wang also believes that the app drew attention from the Chinese authorities because it was being used to share an article from a Wuhan doctor who was reprimanded for informing people about the coronavirus.

This would not be the only instance of the Chinese authorities seemingly censoring information about the coronavirus.

A recent study found that two popular social media apps in China, YY and WeChat, were apparently stopping keywords related to COVID-19 from being shared outside of the country, either through controls over the apps’ servers or locally on the device.