Apple is once more the target of the Chinese media with reports of an alleged pornography investigation. A recent government campaign saw one regulator naming Apple’s iOS App Store as a source of “obscene pornographic content,” according to The Wall Street Journal.
The regulator leveled that accusation in March, and Communist Party mouthpiece The People’s Daily followed up on Wednesday, placing Apple in a list of websites and app stores under investigation for providing pornographic content. Despite Apple’s size and bumpy recent history in China, the piece doesn’t emphasize Apple more than other companies named.
The Chinese government regularly conducts campaigns in an attempt to censor pornographic content on the web, and has recently launched a new campaign designed to do so.
This most recent accusation came with an order for Apple to remove the offensive content from its App Store, and to submit a report on the violation. Apple will also be required to implement measures to prevent future violations.
“This is another very heavy stick to remind content sellers who the boss is,” one analyst told Bloomberg. “Apple really has to work hard on government relations.”
Apple is known to be extremely vigilant about keeping pornographic material out of the App Store to the best of its ability. Some app makers simply go aehad and self-censor to prevent removal from the App Store. The company has had run-ins in the past however, with the Chinese government over pornographic content.
Recently, Apple’s position in China has been threatened by attacks by the Chinese government controlled media. The iPhone manufacturer was the target of what appeared to be a coordinated media attack last month over alleged warranty issues in the country. The attack led to a rare apology from Apple CEO Tim Cook. Following the apology, China’s media published a positive reaction to the move.
