The order, which takes effect in 45 days, says the apps use "personal electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers" to "access and capture vast swaths of information from users."
The action, which falls under a strict new Beijing-imposed national security law imposed on Hong Kong, comes in response to an unauthorized, independent primary held in July.
The government had previously said data collected by its widely used app would only be used for contact tracing. The program is seen as a key part of the country's success in managing the coronavirus.
Kai Strittmatter says the Chinese state has amassed an astonishing amount of data about its citizens, which it uses to punish people for even minor offenses. His new book is We Have Been Harmonized.
Iran seized a South Korean-flagged tanker in Persian Gulf waters on Monday and detained its crew. The move comes as Iran ramps up uranium enrichment, raising tensions with the United States.
The move is likely to increase tensions during President Trump's final weeks in office. Separately, Iran seized a South Korean oil tanker in the Persian Gulf, South Korea said Monday.
Beijing says it has vaccinated more than 73,000 people in the two days since China's first domestic coronavirus vaccine was approved for commercial use.
The Philippines is lagging behind in securing stockpiles of the coronavirus vaccine. The challenges it faces are emblematic of much of the developing world.
Almost 150,000 people in India have died from complications of COVID-19, behind only the U.S. and Brazil. India plans to begin inoculating its population of 1.4 billion this month.