We monitor 175 App Store storefronts to answer one question —
Is Sock Puppets for Messenger censored by Apple?
Sock Puppets for Messenger is gone from every App Store storefront we test. It was last seen available on Apr 9, 2019.
454 tests on record·⚠ last verified 4 months ago — treat as historical
Why it is unavailable
Five things can put an app out of one App Store. Each is weighed below against what can be seen from outside — open a card for the reasoning.
A government or a court demanded it
and Apple complied. Apple publishes a count of these per country each year and never says which apps they were. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- 23% of Social and messaging apps are unavailable in Morocco — 98 of 423 — against 18% of everything we test there.
- 3 other apps left mainland China the same day, Oct 16, 2019.
- Apple reports 1,213 government-ordered removals in Russia for 2025, naming none of them.
Apple applied a rule, unasked
either its own review guidelines, or its own reading of a local law, with nobody having demanded anything. This is the largest category in Apple's own removal figures by a wide margin, and it covers distribution permits as well as content — Apple kept a free Bible app out of mainland China in 2021 for want of one. Apple's 2025 App Store Transparency Report
- 23% of Social and messaging apps are unavailable in Morocco — 98 of 423 — against 18% of everything we test there.
- 3 other apps left mainland China the same day, Oct 16, 2019.
The developer withheld it
freely, or under legal advice of their own, or because Apple's guidelines require that kind of app to be limited to certain countries. Switching a country off is easy for a developer to do in Apple's own tools: it needs no new version of the app, and it leaves no public trace other than the app being unavailable.
- 23% of Social and messaging apps are unavailable in Morocco — 98 of 423 — against 18% of everything we test there.
- 3 other apps left mainland China the same day, Oct 16, 2019.
Something broke
a rejected update, a lapsed certificate, a payment or licensing problem, a mistake nobody has got round to noticing.
- 23% of Social and messaging apps are unavailable in Morocco — 98 of 423 — against 18% of everything we test there.
- 3 other apps left mainland China the same day, Oct 16, 2019.
- Gone for 6 years.
A local rule about paying for it
gambling licences, financial rules, tax — the kind of law that governs a transaction. Apple can obey every one of them by refusing the payment, which is why this is the only restriction we would accept and the only one that cannot touch a free app.
- It is free, so Apple sells nothing here.
How this is weighed, and what it cannot tell you
Weighed from the evidence under each card, not from a model. There is no published figure for how Apple's removals divide up, so these are ordered words rather than percentages. For scale on the same-day counts: across the whole record an app leaves a storefront with fewer than two others, so a dozen at once is not a dozen coincidences.
None of this is certain, and a citation does not make it so: Apple naming a Chinese agency tells you what Apple said, not everything that happened. What can be said is that the readings alone cannot separate these five — a developer switching off a country and a government ordering it removed arrive at Apple's catalogue looking identical — and that nobody has ever measured how they divide across the App Store. The one careful study of the question was done on Google's store, using an error message Apple does not emit.
Apple publishes no record of which apps are unavailable in which of its App Stores. For the removals it makes on a government's demand it publishes the agency and the law behind every one — 2,045 of the 166,899 apps it removed during 2025 — and never which app. Where a reason reaches the public at all, it is usually because a developer chose to say so. Apple's App Store Transparency Report
Know of a statement, notice or order we have missed? Tell us →
Sock Puppets for Messenger
Developer: Smith Micro Software, Inc. · Category: Social Networking · Released: Oct 3, 2015 · Rating: 4.5★
Other Social and messaging apps missing from mainland China
Life of this app
- Oct 3, 2015Released on the App Store
- Apr 9, 2019First tested by AppleCensorship
- Apr 9, 2019Last seen available anywhere
- Dec 21, 2021Gone from 93 storefronts
- May 7, 2026Most recent test
Testing history
One column per month, every month from the first reading to the last. Height follows how many readings we took that month; red is the share of them that found the app unavailable. An empty month is one nobody tested.
Found availableFound unavailable
Availability by storefront
Every storefront we test, current status first. Data is a measurement, not a promise: each row carries its own date.
| Test now | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AlgeriaDZ | Unavailable | Nov 6, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| AngolaAO | Unavailable | Mar 14, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| ArgentinaAR | Unavailable | Jun 22, 2021 | 4 years ago | ||
| ArmeniaAM | Unavailable | Dec 19, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| AustraliaAU | Unavailable | Apr 30, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| BahamasBS | Unavailable | Oct 7, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| BahrainBH | Unavailable | Jun 9, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| BarbadosBB | Unavailable | Dec 21, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| BelgiumBE | Unavailable | Feb 13, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| BelizeBZ | Unavailable | Jul 26, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| BermudaBM | Unavailable | Sep 6, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| Bosnia & HerzegovinaBA | Unavailable | Nov 29, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| BotswanaBW | Unavailable | Feb 13, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| BrazilBR | Unavailable | Oct 16, 2019 | 3 years ago | ||
| British Virgin IslandsVG | Unavailable | Nov 29, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| BruneiBN | Unavailable | Apr 4, 2021 | 4 years ago | ||
| CambodiaKH | Unavailable | Aug 19, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| CanadaCA | Unavailable | Mar 28, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| Cayman IslandsKY | Unavailable | Mar 13, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| China (Mainland)CN | Unavailable | Oct 16, 2019 | 4 months ago | ||
| Costa RicaCR | Unavailable | Nov 8, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| CyprusCY | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2020 | 2 years ago | ||
| CzechiaCZ | Unavailable | Apr 17, 2020 | 4 years ago | ||
| DenmarkDK | Unavailable | Aug 31, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| DR CongoCD | Unavailable | Sep 6, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| EgyptEG | Unavailable | Mar 13, 2023 | 4 years ago | ||
| El SalvadorSV | Unavailable | Nov 1, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| EswatiniSZ | Unavailable | Nov 15, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| FijiFJ | Unavailable | Apr 28, 2021 | 2 years ago | ||
| FinlandFI | Unavailable | Nov 6, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| FranceFR | Unavailable | Nov 2, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| GermanyDE | Unavailable | Dec 21, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| GhanaGH | Unavailable | Dec 19, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| GrenadaGD | Unavailable | May 31, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| GuatemalaGT | Unavailable | Dec 21, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| GuyanaGY | Unavailable | Feb 13, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| HondurasHN | Unavailable | Feb 3, 2025 | 2 years ago | ||
| Hong KongHK | Unavailable | Oct 22, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| IndonesiaID | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2020 | 2 years ago | ||
| IrelandIE | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2019 | 2 years ago | ||
| KazakhstanKZ | Unavailable | Dec 23, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| KenyaKE | Unavailable | Dec 21, 2019 | 3 years ago | ||
| KuwaitKW | Unavailable | Dec 20, 2019 | 3 years ago | ||
| LatviaLV | Unavailable | Oct 7, 2021 | 15 months ago | ||
| LebanonLB | Unavailable | Feb 13, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| LibyaLY | Unavailable | May 21, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| MacaoMO | Unavailable | Oct 2, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| MalaysiaMY | Unavailable | Dec 21, 2019 | 3 years ago | ||
| MaltaMT | Unavailable | Aug 19, 2021 | 2 years ago | ||
| MauritaniaMR | Unavailable | Aug 16, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| MauritiusMU | Unavailable | Mar 5, 2021 | 15 months ago | ||
| MexicoMX | Unavailable | Mar 17, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| MoldovaMD | Unavailable | May 11, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| MongoliaMN | Unavailable | Jun 22, 2021 | 4 years ago | ||
| MontenegroME | Unavailable | Nov 17, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| MoroccoMA | Unavailable | Jul 29, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| MozambiqueMZ | Unavailable | Aug 16, 2021 | 4 years ago | ||
| NauruNR | Unavailable | Jul 26, 2024 | 4 months ago | ||
| NepalNP | Unavailable | Mar 13, 2023 | 2 years ago | ||
| NigerNE | Unavailable | Apr 4, 2021 | 4 years ago | ||
| North MacedoniaMK | Unavailable | Nov 8, 2021 | 4 months ago | ||
| PakistanPK | Unavailable | Nov 6, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| PalauPW | Unavailable | Oct 19, 2024 | 2 years ago | ||
| ParaguayPY | Unavailable | Nov 9, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| PhilippinesPH | Unavailable | Nov 8, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| Republic of the CongoCG | Unavailable | Feb 13, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| RussiaRU | Unavailable | Apr 17, 2020 | 2 years ago | ||
| RwandaRW | Unavailable | Mar 14, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| São Tomé & PríncipeST | Unavailable | Nov 17, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| Saudi ArabiaSA | Unavailable | Mar 20, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| SenegalSN | Unavailable | May 31, 2021 | 4 years ago | ||
| SerbiaRS | Unavailable | Nov 15, 2022 | 4 years ago | ||
| Sierra LeoneSL | Unavailable | Oct 22, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| SloveniaSI | Unavailable | Apr 17, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| South AfricaZA | Unavailable | Aug 19, 2021 | 4 years ago | ||
| St. LuciaLC | Unavailable | Mar 5, 2021 | 15 months ago | ||
| St. Vincent & GrenadinesVC | Unavailable | Apr 28, 2021 | 2 years ago | ||
| SwedenSE | Unavailable | Jun 15, 2023 | 3 years ago | ||
| TaiwanTW | Unavailable | Oct 26, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| TajikistanTJ | Unavailable | Jun 12, 2021 | 3 years ago | ||
| TunisiaTN | Unavailable | Oct 26, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| TürkiyeTR | Unavailable | Oct 2, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| Turks & Caicos IslandsTC | Unavailable | Jan 26, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| UgandaUG | Unavailable | Oct 2, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| UkraineUA | Unavailable | Mar 20, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| United Arab EmiratesAE | Unavailable | Mar 13, 2023 | 4 months ago | ||
| United KingdomGB | Unavailable | Jun 10, 2022 | 3 years ago | ||
| United StatesUS | Unavailable | Oct 16, 2019 | 4 months ago | ||
| UzbekistanUZ | Unavailable | Apr 30, 2022 | 2 years ago | ||
| VietnamVN | Unavailable | Apr 17, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| YemenYE | Unavailable | Oct 16, 2019 | 3 years ago | ||
| ZambiaZM | Unavailable | Feb 1, 2024 | 3 years ago | ||
| ZimbabweZW | Unavailable | Nov 6, 2020 | 3 years ago | ||
| AfghanistanAF | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AlbaniaAL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AnguillaAI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Antigua & BarbudaAG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AustriaAT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| AzerbaijanAZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BelarusBY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BeninBJ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BhutanBT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BoliviaBO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| BulgariaBG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Burkina FasoBF | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CameroonCM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Cape VerdeCV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ChadTD | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ChileCL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ColombiaCO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Côte d’IvoireCI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| CroatiaHR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| DominicaDM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Dominican RepublicDO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EcuadorEC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| EstoniaEE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GabonGA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GambiaGM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GeorgiaGE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| GreeceGR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Guinea-BissauGW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| HungaryHU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IcelandIS | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IndiaIN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IraqIQ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| IsraelIL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ItalyIT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| JamaicaJM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| JapanJP | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| JordanJO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KosovoXK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| KyrgyzstanKG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LaosLA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LiberiaLR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LithuaniaLT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| LuxembourgLU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MadagascarMG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MalawiMW | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MaldivesMV | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MaliML | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MicronesiaFM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| MontserratMS | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Myanmar (Burma)MM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NamibiaNA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NetherlandsNL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| New ZealandNZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NicaraguaNI | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NigeriaNG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| NorwayNO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| OmanOM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PanamaPA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Papua New GuineaPG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PeruPE | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PolandPL | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| PortugalPT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| QatarQA | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| RomaniaRO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SeychellesSC | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SingaporeSG | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SlovakiaSK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Solomon IslandsSB | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| South KoreaKR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SpainES | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Sri LankaLK | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| St. Kitts & NevisKN | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SurinameSR | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| SwitzerlandCH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TanzaniaTZ | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| ThailandTH | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TongaTO | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| Trinidad & TobagoTT | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| TurkmenistanTM | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| UruguayUY | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| VanuatuVU | Not tested | — | — | 0 | |
| VenezuelaVE | Not tested | — | — | 0 |
Testing asks Apple whether it will sell this app in that storefront, right now, by the same method the crawler has used since 2019. Your browser asks Apple directly, so the answer describes what Apple serves your connection — and if your browser cannot reach Apple at all, we ask on your behalf and say so. The result is a link: open it to see Apple's own answer and check ours. Readings are added to the record above; roughly a quarter of the readings taken each day come from people testing.
How we test
Availability is checked against Apple's own catalog servers for every storefront, the same way the App Store app asks. "Unavailable" means Apple's servers say the app cannot be offered in that country — it does not say who asked for the removal. Removals initiated by the developer and removals demanded by governments look the same from outside; the history and context on this page are how we tell them apart.