An Amazon spokesperson told WSJ that Sinnet had to do it, because it's "responsible for ensuring that its customers in China comply with local laws." The notice it sent was "intended to remind customers of their obligations." When Apple pulled VPN apps from iTunes, it also said that it was required to drop them from the store, since the government's new rules now require VPNs to obtain a license.

WSJ says authorities have been getting even stricter than usual leading up to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China this fall, wherein the party's top leadership could be replaced. They've apparently been cracking down not just on VPN providers, but also on social networks and livestreaming platforms. VyprVPN's president told the publication that this feels different from the other times the government tried to implement new censorship measures "due to the events occurring and their rapid succession." If that's true, then Apple and Amazon won't be the only tech corporations affected by authorities' efforts.