TripAdvisor and over 104 other apps blocked in China for 'violating' cyber law

China has removed 105 apps including that of UStravel firm TripAdvisor Inc from app stores in the country, under a new campaign to cleanse stores of apps it deems spread content related to pornography, prostitution, gambling, and violence.

The Cyberspace Administration of China said in a statement on its website on Tuesday that the apps violated one or more of three cyber laws, without providing details for each app.

"The Cyberspace Administration of China will continue to ...strengthen the supervision and inspection of mobile apps' information services, promptly clean up and dispose of illegal mobile applications and application stores, and strive to create a clear cyberspace," the agency said in a statement.

The authority said it started the campaign on November5 in response to a strong reaction from the general public to content deemed offensive. It said it would continue to regulate apps and remove those in violation of the law in a timely manner.

China heavily regulates its cyberspace and punishments for transgressions are not uncommon, irrespective of whether the app is operated by a domestic or foreign company.

China has increased scrutiny of its technology sector in recent weeks, last month drafting anti-monopoly rules for tech firms.

It has also expressed concerns about data protection and consumer rights, while authorities have on a number of occasions ordered apps to be suspended for mishandling user information.

The United States and China have increasingly clashed over technology from both sides. Recently, for example, the Trump administration hasthreatened to banshort-formvideo app TikTok if it is not sold by its Chinese parent companyByteDance.