Since the start of the month, Flightradar24 has been pulled from app stores in China as part of the recent renewal of the anti-espionage laws unveiled in China 7 years ago, providing a basis for safeguarding its national security. Whilst those who had the app before being unlisted are not affected, updates to the app are no longer pushed.
This has been done supposedly on the grounds that the equipment FR24 provides to users, namely ADS-B receivers and whatnot, are transmitting vital aviation data within its airspace, especially that of its military fleet, thus threatening the security of its notoriously secret operations within the PLAAF and having the government consider this as means of espionage and spying. The said equipment has been pointed out by local security organisations, launching individual investigations and seizing hundreds of the equipment that broke regulations.
According to authorities, the amount of receivers have the ability to provide coverage for military aircraft performing crucial operations in restricted airspaces to anyone at any time that is willing to look at it, including international organisations that might want to get their hands on the information, which has been judged to be considered a direct threat that would lead to catastrophic consequences.
It is also noted by local bloggers that Flightradar24 is currently working to put the app back under regulation, as well as hoping to have it relisted back to the Chinese public.
Sources:
Also cheers @sqeezelemon for bringing this topic up, much appreciated.
Probably because they care more about their citizens seeing their country’s military operations.
In other words, I don’t think China cares too much about what Foreigners see and say on a website, than their own citizens, as their citizens will be much more affected by the operations that the Chinese Military undertakes.
From what I can see, those seem to apply with receivers that are illegally installed where it will track certain airspaces that they don’t want tracked. I imagine the regulation will be heavily restricted and thus a lot less flights would be tracked within the country, which I think would be a big hit to tracking domestic flights that would use NAIP Airways if I had to guess.
I feel so sorry for all the avgeeks in China - given most flight tracking and flight simulation companies are American - China is banning them from their app stores - which is really unfortunate.
The US doesn’t show military aircraft on Flightradar24 (at least for the most part) so China can just make their own military radar thing that doesn’t show on Fr24
It does come up regularly. I’m no expert but perhaps they can switch it off? Sometimes I go to A-DSB Exchange to see more RAF aircraft however most show up on Flightradar24 or plane finder anyway. Air Force One, Air Force Two and the doomsday plane were visible on return from COP on FR24.
