Apple limits airdrop feature on Chinese iPhone, limiting protester’s ability to communicate – One America News Network

November 30, 2022 Geri Berry US 0

Customers shop at an Apple store on November 28, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. Apple is currently facing shortages in iPhone supplies due to COVID-19 restrictions in China and unrest at one of Apple's major Chinese suppliers. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images) — Customers shop at an Apple store on November 28, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. Apple is currently facing shortages in iPhone supplies due to COVID-19 restrictions in China and unrest at one of Apple’s major Chinese suppliers. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 2:46 PM PT – Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Apple has limited a key-feature used by Chinese anti-lockdown protesters to circumvent censorship.

Apple limits AirDrop on iPhones in China after filesharing feature was used by protesters

The AirDrop function was being used to share leaflets

The change follows reports of people using AirDrop to spread leaflets critical of the Chinese Communist party

— Jimmy Smith (@jrs76) November 29, 2022

Apple had launched an update to its iPhones sold in mainland China on November 9^th. This limited the duration and file-sharing abilities of its air-drop software.

Chinese users can now only set their airdrop to receive messages from people outside of their contacts for 10 minutes before shutting off and can only share-files and data with other iPhone in their contacts.

Airdrop was widely used during the 2019 pro-democracy protests due to its ability to evade censorship by forming a phone-to-phone connection using Bluetooth which did not require internet access.

Apple has repeatedly helped Chinese authorities squash dissent mostly by removing the apps protesters use to communicate or organize.

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