Türk dilinde okuyun: burada
Why can I not find Hornet on the Apple App Store in Turkey?
On 6th August, 2021, Apple removed Hornet from the App Store in Turkey.
Why did Apple remove Hornet from the App Store in Turkey?
Apple was presented with a Court Order from the Turkish Government, demanding that Apple remove Hornet. No details were given, other than that Hornet had broken Article 9 of the Turkish Internet Law.
What is Hornet doing about this?
Hornet has appointed a legal representation in Turkey and will be appealing the removal from the Apple App Store. This will be appealed to both Apple and the Turkish Courts.
How can I access Hornet?
If you use Hornet on an iOS device (iPhone / iPad) then do NOT delete the Hornet app from your device. If you delete the app, you may not be able to download the app again. You can go into your App Store purchase history and download an old version of the Hornet App. But, you will not be able to update to new versions of the app. Alternatively, Hornet is still available for download from the Google Play Store on Android. Or, you can access the web version of Hornet on hornetapp.com
Why did the Turkish Government do this?
In recent years, the Turkish government has grown more and more hostile to LGBTQ+ people. This attack on Hornet is a part of this. Hornet has long been the last bastion of community and safe space for queer people in Turkey. As such, Hornet has clearly been on the radar of those hostile to queer people. In 2020, Hornet’s domain hornet.com was blocked in Turkey.
Can I use a VPN to download Hornet from another country’s App Store?
Apple state clearly that you should only access their app store from the country in which you are physically located. Trying to change country may cause problems with your Apple ID and account. Hornet therefore does not advise you to do this.
To view Hornet’s official response:
