Two of China’s most popular gay dating apps have vanished from Chinese app stores, sparking concern among LGBTQ+ advocates about an intensifying government clampdown on queer spaces both online and offline.
As of Tuesday, Blued and Finka, two of the country’s largest queer social networking platforms, were no longer available on Apple’s App Store or Android-based platforms in China. The removal further limits the already shrinking digital space available to LGBTQ+ Chinese citizens, who face growing censorship and surveillance from the government.
China blocks access to Google’s Play Store as part of its vast online censorship system known as the “Great Firewall.” This digital barrier filters and controls what citizens can see and share, effectively scrubbing political dissent and content deemed inconsistent with the Chinese Communist Party’s ideology.
The removal of Blued and Finka comes without an official statement or explanation from regulators. However, a source familiar with the matter told CNN that the decision appeared to be related to “compliance issues,” possibly involving alleged “pornographic” or “vulgar” content.
According to tech outlet Wired, Apple confirmed that it removed both apps following an order from China’s Cyberspace Administration. “Based on an order from the Cyberspace Administration of China, we have removed these two apps from the China storefront only,” the company said in a statement. “We follow the laws in the countries where we operate.”
Blued’s international version, known as HeeSay, remains available outside China, while Finka, catering primarily to younger users, operates exclusively within the country.
Blued, launched in 2012 by Beijing-based BlueCity Holdings, quickly became the country’s dominant gay dating platform, reporting more than 54 million users worldwide by 2020. Finka, founded in 2019, grew rapidly among Gen Z users for its community-oriented features. BlueCity acquired Finka in 2020, solidifying its position as China’s leading LGBTQ+ tech company.
A Shrinking Online Safe Haven
For many queer Chinese citizens, apps like Blued and Finka have served as critical lifelines, connecting users in a country where offline LGBTQ+ venues are scarce and often face government scrutiny.
“I just feel there hasn’t been that much space offline for the gay community to begin with,” said a 30-year-old user surnamed Zhao, speaking to CNN on condition of anonymity. “Now that the online space is also being restricted, I feel that the space for the community is getting smaller and smaller.”
China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997 and removed it from its list of mental illnesses in 2001. However, same-sex marriage remains illegal, and public displays of LGBTQ+ identity or activism have become increasingly risky.
In recent years, authorities have shut down Pride parades, banned same-sex storylines in television and film, and ordered the removal of dozens of LGBTQ+ student and advocacy group accounts from WeChat, the country’s dominant messaging app.
Ideological Tightening Under Xi
Experts say the latest removals are part of a broader ideological tightening under President Xi Jinping, whose administration has emphasized “traditional family values” and sought to curb what it calls “the feminization of men” in media and entertainment.
It remains unclear whether Blued and Finka will be reinstated. The source who spoke to CNN said the apps could return if they meet compliance requirements, though optimism is fading.
“Things are just difficult right now,” the source said. “Blued will likely have to lay low, and maybe even transform, to survive.”
The removals mark the latest blow to China’s queer community, which continues to find creative ways to stay connected despite state suppression. For millions of users, however, the disappearance of their favorite apps is another painful reminder of how fragile queer visibility remains in a country that increasingly seeks to erase it.
