“Everyone was trying to drink from the hose
as much as possible” in expectation of a
crackdown, Huang said. “We were saying, is it
going to be a week, is going to be a month, is it
going to be tomorrow?”
Clubhouse requires users to be invited to join
and to give their names and phone numbers.
That prompted warnings Chinese users might
face official retaliation for their comments. There
was no indication Tuesday whether anyone had
been punished.
The app was removed from Apple Inc.’s China
store by at least Dec. 16, according to Benjamin
Ismail, an activist with the group Apple
Censorship which tracks censorship in the Apple
Store. Users still could download it if they had
access to an Apple app store abroad.
Zeng, the tech worker, said any users that got
the app from a platform outside China probably
could obtain virtual private network software to
bypass the internet filters.
The ruling party encourages internet use for
business and education but tries to prevent the
spread of pro-democracy and other political
material. Operators of social media are required
to monitor, delete and report comments that
violate official rules.
The party also blocks access to Facebook, Twitter
and other social media services and websites
abroad run by news organizations and human
rights, Tibet, pro-democracy and other activists.