Tag Archives: stores

China Bans Two Popular LGBTQ+ Dating Apps from Apple and Android Stores

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Two of the most popular gay dating applications in China have been removed from the country’s app stores, sparking concerns about increased repression of the LGBT community.

As of Tuesday, Blued and Finka were no longer accessible on Apple’s app store and certain Android platforms. Users who have previously downloaded the applications seem to still have access to them.

Both applications remain available for download from their official websites, and no official statement has been made regarding their removal.

In a statement to Wired, Apple remarked: “We adhere to the laws of the nations in which we operate. Following directives from the Cyberspace Administration of China, these two apps have been removed solely from our China storefront.”

Apple operates a distinct app store in China, in compliance with local regulations. Popular applications such as Facebook, Instagram, and other Western social media platforms are inaccessible to Chinese users. Furthermore, international dating apps like Grindr and Tinder are also blocked.

Blued, which was established in China in 2012, is the nation’s most popular dating app for gay men, boasting over 40 million registered users globally. Despite diversifying into live streaming and other services in recent years, it primarily remains an app catered to gay men.

The parent company of Blued acquired Finka in 2020.

Although homosexuality is legal in China, the public expression of LGBT identities has become increasingly suppressed after years of progressive changes. LGBT civil society organizations have been forced to shut down, and China’s largest Pride event, Shanghai Pride, was canceled in 2020. In September, a horror film featuring a gay couple was modified digitally for its release in China.

The founder of an LGBT community organization, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons, expressed being “very shocked” at the removal of Blued and Finka from app stores.

“In recent years, the space for sexual minorities has been diminishing…but I was unprepared for the news that online spaces are also disappearing,” he stated.

“Do apps like Blued not aid in fostering social stability and harmony? Why remove them from app stores? I find it challenging to grasp the reasoning behind this,” he continued.

The reason for the app removals and their permanence remains unclear, but internet users have rapidly expressed their concerns.

One WeChat user remarked that Blued “helped countless individuals realize they were not alone, bringing a marginalized group into focus.”

The Cyberspace Administration of China was not available for comment.

Additional research by Lillian Yang

Source: www.theguardian.com

Shut Down All Amazon Fresh Stores in the UK | Amazon

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Amazon is set to shutter all of its Amazon Fresh Stores in the UK, just four years after the initial launch of its grocery store in London.

The tech giant is planning to close its 19 fresh stores, with intentions to convert five of them into Whole Foods Market locations, a US organic grocery chain purchased in 2017.

The first fresh store opened in Ealing, West London in 2021, offering a shopping experience without traditional checkout processes.

Customers enter the store using an app, pay upon exiting, and are tracked by a network of advanced cameras and sensors that monitor items picked up in store.

Nevertheless, this innovative concept has faced challenges, especially as the demand for contactless shopping declined post-pandemic. Amazon has struggled to compete significantly with established retailers like Tesco and Sainsbury.

While Amazon did not specify how many employees would be impacted by the closures, it stated that it intends to provide new roles for these workers elsewhere within the company.

The company is further concentrating on its Whole Foods brand as part of a wider strategy to revamp its approach to the grocery sector.

Despite Whole Foods operating largely independently following its acquisition for $13.7 billion (£10.7 billion), Amazon has begun to exert more influence over the brand.

During the summer, Amazon expanded its corporate staff program, including wage standards and benefits, to include Whole Foods’ corporate employees in the US.

On Tuesday, Amazon announced its plan to double the number of UK Prime Subscription members eligible for at least three grocery options through partnerships with Morrison, Iceland, Co-ops, and Gopuff.

Starting next year, customers will be able to order fresh groceries such as dairy, meat, and seafood directly from the Amazon website, the company confirmed.

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Amazon’s grocery operations are currently under scrutiny in the UK, which includes a request to adhere to the grocery supply code.

In June, the Grocery Code Adjudicator (GCA), the industry watchdog, initiated an investigation into Amazon concerning allegations of delayed payments to suppliers.

“We’ve been striving to optimize our business,” stated John Boumphrey, Amazon UK’s country manager.

“We persist in innovating and investing to provide our UK customers with more choices and convenience, enabling them to shop for a wide array of everyday essentials and groceries at competitive prices with swift delivery options through Amazon.co.uk, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market Stores.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Australians Could Soon Download iPhone Apps from External App Stores Under New Federal Government Proposals

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Soon, Australians will have the opportunity to download apps from sources outside the Apple App Store and circumvent additional fees on iPhone purchases, thanks to a proposal from the federal government. However, tech companies have expressed concerns that competition regulations similar to those in the EU might jeopardize security and adversely affect competition.

Currently, Australian users can’t subscribe to services like Netflix or Spotify through the iOS app. Additionally, Google imposes a premium for YouTube subscriptions via the App Store, while Amazon does not permit Kindle users to buy e-books through the app.

The reason for this is that Apple imposes a fee of up to 30% on in-app purchases, significantly impacting high-grossing apps. Due to Apple’s policies, companies are restricted from guiding customers on alternative purchase methods.

In released papers last November, the government proposed to “designate” digital platforms like the Apple App Store.

This would compel these platforms to meet obligations aimed at mitigating what the government perceives as anti-competitive practices.

The document underscores Apple’s preferred in-app payment structure as an example of behaviors that regulatory entities could target. This would facilitate users downloading apps from outside the official app store, a process known as sideloading.

In response to the proposal, Apple cautioned that the government should refrain from adopting the EU digital market as a “blueprint” for its strategy.


Apple stated, “DMA demands adjustments to Apple’s ecosystem, which may elevate privacy and security threats to users, create opportunities for malware, fraud, and expose users to illegal or harmful content.”

The company asserted that the 30% fee applies only to the highest-grossing apps, emphasizing that about 90% of transactions on iOS apps do not incur Apple’s cut. Many developers reported being charged a lower fee of 15%.

Apple has also expressed concerns about sideloading apps, highlighting security issues that could arise if users install apps without any vetting process. The EU indicated that such apps could include explicit content or tools for copyright violations.

This process would enable users to download apps on MacBooks and other conventional computing devices. Conversely, the Android platform accommodates sideloading apps and third-party transactions outside the Google Play Store.

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Apple has also indicated that the DMA is responsible for delaying the rollout of its AI features.

Foad Fadaghi, managing director and principal analyst at Telsyte, mentioned that while opening the Apple platform could benefit some users, the majority are unlikely to alter their usage of the iPhone.

“Users may have concerns about enhancing security and privacy with Apple devices. In many cases, we select lockdown mode as the default,” he noted.

Australia isn’t isolated in this regard; Apple faces restrictions and legal challenges surrounding its App Store controls in Asia, Europe, and the US. The company adheres to local regulations but resists pressure to maintain uniform App Store practices globally. Apple previously modified its hardware worldwide to comply with EU regulations mandating a USB-C connector.

The government has yet to announce the next steps in this process, and the Ministry of Finance has not yet released submissions to the paper.

The federal court ruling regarding Epic Games’ lawsuit against Google concerning App Store practices is still pending nearly a year after the hearing concluded.

Source: www.theguardian.com

British Retailer Warns of “Aggressive” Hackers Targeting US Stores and Google

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Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, issued a warning on Wednesday, indicating that hackers responsible for disrupting UK retailers are now focused on similar companies in the U.S.

“U.S. retailers need to remain vigilant. These actors are offensive and innovative, particularly skilled at bypassing established security measures,” stated John Hartquist, an analyst in Google’s cybersecurity team, in an email sent Wednesday.

The culprits have identified themselves as part of a group known as “scattered spiders,” which refers to a loosely connected network of highly skilled hackers operating at various levels.

The scattered spiders have been linked to a notably severe cyberattack on M&S, a prominent name in UK retail, which has been unable to conduct online business since April 25th. Hultquist mentioned that this group tends to fixate on one sector at a time and is expected to target retailers for an extended period.

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Just a day prior to Google’s alert, M&S revealed that some customer data had been compromised, excluding payment information, card details, or account passwords. Sources indicate that the data may include names, addresses, and order history. M&S acknowledged that personal information was accessed due to the “sophisticated nature of the incident.”

“Today, we are informing customers that some of their personal data have been acquired due to the sophisticated nature of the incident,” the company stated.

Hackers from the scattered spider network have been linked to numerous damaging breaches on both sides of the Atlantic. In 2023, group-associated hackers made headlines for infiltrating casino operators MGM Resort International and Caesars Entertainment.

Law enforcement agencies are struggling to manage the scattered spider hacking groups. This challenge is partly attributed to their fluid structure, uncooperative younger hackers, and the complexities faced by cybercrime victims.

Source: www.theguardian.com

How iPhone Apps Have Evolved with the App Store’s Recent Dominance

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The landscape of iPhone apps has evolved recently. The Kindle app now enables users to purchase books directly. Spotify is offering a free trial for users, and Patreon is adjusting its subscription fees, leading to higher costs for creators.

This shift reflects the impact of recent court rulings on the iPhone shopping experience. A federal judge ruled that Apple must allow apps to provide promotions and accept payments directly, facilitating features like direct book purchases from the website. The ruling has the potential to lower consumer prices by circumventing the 30% fees Apple charges on app sales.

For over ten years, Apple mandated that apps use its payment systems and collect commissions on sales.

Everything is now subject to change. Here’s why:

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, who became involved in the case following Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple in 2020, ruled that Apple can no longer take commissions from sales linked through the app. She also stated that developers cannot be hindered by warning screens that restrict the creation of buttons and links for users to pay directly for products and services.

Amazon has requested updates to the Kindle app to enable direct book purchases.
credit…Kindle

For years, Kindle avoided selling books within the app to escape Apple’s 30% commission. It has now introduced a “Get Book” button that directs users to its website for purchases. Likewise, Apple has previously blocked Spotify from offering free trials, but now Spotify includes a button for a three-month trial in the app.

Other applications are now able to feature links for direct purchases from online stores, eliminating the need to pay Apple’s 30% fees. This means apps can provide lower prices and potentially reduce monthly subscriptions to $7.

Morgan Stanley estimates that Apple generates $11 billion annually from app sales in the U.S. While it won’t lose all of that revenue, $2 billion is currently considered at risk.

How much Apple stands to lose motivates changes in user behavior. The decade-old process for purchasing software and services via apps is not only well-known but also convenient. Users trust Apple with their payment information, and the company simplifies subscription cancellations, centralizing the experience. Many users may be hesitant to leave the app store for purchases, influencing apps to retain the existing system.

As Apple is required to permit apps to handle payments directly without levying a commission, similar expectations are emerging in the U.S. European, Japanese, and South Korean regulators, whom Apple is appealing to for leniency regarding the App Store, would likely oppose their developers and citizens facing higher costs than Americans.

Apple has announced plans to appeal the ruling, but overturning the decision may prove challenging. In 2021, the judge issued a non-normative ruling. Apple circumvented previous regulations by implementing a 27% commission on app sales. Mark A. Lemley, a Stanford antitrust professor, mentioned that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will likely uphold the judge’s initial ruling from 2021, suggesting that “they have to take their licks and let it happen.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

The major influences on where your body stores fat

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Gender plays a significant role in determining where fat is stored in the body. Men tend to store fat around their abdomen, while women tend to store fat in their thighs, buttocks, and hips.

“From a childbirth and childcare perspective, pregnancy and subsequent breastfeeding consume energy, so storing energy in these areas is very helpful,” explains Dr. Adam Collins, Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey. Hormonal differences also play a role in fat storage.

Estrogen, a female hormone, is believed to play a key role in determining body fat distribution, particularly in women.

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Premenopausal women with higher estrogen levels are less likely to store fat in the abdomen and near vital organs. This may offer some protection from conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes. However, men are more susceptible to developing these conditions earlier in life.

After menopause, women experience a decline in estrogen levels, leading to a shift towards the typical male fat distribution pattern.

Genetics also play a role in determining fat distribution, particularly in women. Studies have shown that genetic influences on fat distribution are stronger in women compared to men.

Stress and cortisol levels may also impact fat storage, with some studies suggesting a link between elevated cortisol levels and abdominal fat. However, the exact mechanisms involved are not fully understood.

Recent research indicates that poor quality sleep may affect body fat composition, with lower quality sleep potentially leading to increased abdominal fat accumulation. However, more research is needed to draw definitive conclusions.

The type of fat present in the body also plays a crucial role in determining overall health. Subcutaneous fat lies just under the skin and provides a store of energy, while visceral fat accumulates deep in the abdomen and around vital organs, posing health risks.

Lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, can influence body fat levels and distribution. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise and a balanced diet, can help in controlling overall fat levels and reducing the risk of metabolic problems.

What types of fat are present in my body?

Lifestyle factors such as exercise and diet can influence body fat levels. – Photo credit: Getty Images

There are two main types of body fat: subcutaneous fat, which lies just under the skin, and visceral fat, which accumulates deep in the abdomen and around organs. Excess body fat is more likely to be stored as visceral fat.

Reducing overall fat levels through lifestyle changes like diet and exercise can help in controlling deep visceral fat levels and reducing the risk of metabolic problems.

About our experts

Dr. Adam Collins is an Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey with over 20 years of experience as a qualified dietitian. His work has been published in various journals.

fredric calpe is a Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the University of Oxford, with publications in reputable journals.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com