China's latest app privacy crackdown has hit one of its biggest targets. Bloomberg reports that China’s Cyberspace Administration has directed Didi Chuxing to remove Didi Chuxing’s ride-hailing app from all mobile stores, including Apple’s App Store and Huawei’s AppGallery. Officials claimed that the software was responsible for serious regulatory violations by its collection and use personal data.The decision was made by the government without explanation, just two days after an official review. If you have Didi's app already downloaded, and you have an account, you can still download a new copy.Didi stated that it would fix the app in accordance with Chinese regulations and had stopped new user registrations since July 3. It is not clear when sign-ups or the app will be restored.This move may help to protect privacy but it also reflects China’s growing efforts to restrain its tech giants. Alibaba was recently fined $2.8 billion by China for monopolistic practices. Didi was already being investigated for antitrust violations and security concerns. The order signals that China is prepared to take tough action if companies don’t follow its lead.
