Apple kicks RSS readers out of their Chinese app store. RSS is a wonderful technology: It lets people simply create a news feed based on their content. It is open, fast, simple. A RSS reader allows you then to actively curate yourself where your interests are. Yes, you can build a perfect filter bubble with it. But it is you building it. By actively deciding what to subscribe to. I love this technology. It can potentially change the world, and it certainly did change my live. 20 Years ago.
In contrast people today let some obtuse AI show them in their Instagram, Google News or Facebook feeds what the AI feels should be shown to them. It could work out OK. Spotify shows how AI can really help with auto curating the world for people. Netflix for instance is really dismal in this respect. Youtube is OKish. Sometimes bad, sometimes good. Their ads are horrible though. Glad that I don’t see them, since I spend $10 / month. Point being that RSS helps as an antidote to the world being constructed around people.
Of course Apple does not care. They are not as malign in their core as Facebook and parts of Google are. But they rather not get in trouble with the middle kingdom over some small Apps. There is no money in RSS. Really none. It is just pure information management. Which is nice, since it has been left alone. Probably also been the reason why many (not all) news papers left their feeds intact instead of paywalling or add-i-fying them as some of them have their front pages.