Although the government didn’t explain any further, it had been undergoing a formal review of the app two days prior. If you have an account, DiDi’s app will still be functional if you have already downloaded it. DiDi released a statement on 3 July promising to adhere to Chinese regulations and put a temporary pause on new user registrations. At the time of writing, there’s still no word on when the app will return to app stores.
Despite the facade of protecting privacy, the Chinese government’s actions are an indication of China’s efforts to rein in its powerful domestic tech companies. As a quick recap, back in April, Alibaba was fined CNY 18.23 billion (~RM11.5 billion) for alleged monopolistic practices. There was already intense scrutiny over DiDi because of possible antitrust violations and security problems — but now it looks like China is gearing up to be more aggressive with companies that fail to comply. (Sources: Engadget, Reuters // Image: Reuters via Florence Lo)
