Chinese app stores reportedly took down several offerings deemed to have violated newly implemented domestic rules targeting data protection, following a clampdown on excessive information gathering.

Reuters reported Chinese input keyboard apps Sogou and iflytek today (11 June) were made unavailable on the App Store and Android-based marketplaces operating in the country.

In a statement to the media outlet, iflytek admitted it was removed for violating policies regulating the collection of personal data, adding it corrected its practices and was awaiting approval by authorities to be reinstated.

The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) introduced new rules in May, defining the type of data deemed necessary for an app to function and, as a result, requiring companies to give access to their services even when users opt out of sharing non-essential personal details.

As a consequence, it issued warnings to a total of more than 100 apps it found were gathering excessive amounts of user data.

CAC’s move is part of broader action by the nation to scrutinise tech players over privacy and market dominance concerns.