The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has blocked 59 Chinese big mobile apps which include the most popular apps such as TikTok, UCBrowser, SHAREit, and more. India has taken action due to the clash happened with Indian and Chinese troops in Ladakh on June 15.
The source of the news revealed that the intelligence agencies said that these apps are violating the terms of usage, being used as spyware or malware, and misusing user’s privacy.
As soon the report came, the official TikTok account of the Indian government, MyGov having 1.1 million followers who have been disabled by the concerned authorities.
Here are some names out of those 59 Chinese apps: TikTok, SHAREit, UC Browser, Baidu map, Helo, Mi Community, Club Factory, WeChat, UC News, Weibo, Xender, Meitu, Mi Video Call – Xiaomi, CamScanner, and Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile.
(Also read: Anonymous says ‘TikTok is an app created as Spyware by the Chinese Government’ on Twitter.)
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued that order stating that the Government of India has banned some apps which “are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order. This move will safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace.”
TikTok, SHAREit, Cam Scanner: India bans 59 Chinese apps
Check out the full list:
Here is the full statement of Government order for banning Chinese Apps
“Over the last few years, India has emerged as a leading innovator when it comes to technological advancements and a primary market in the digital space. At the same time, there have been raging concerns on aspects relating to data security and safeguarding the privacy of 130 crore Indians. It has been noted recently that such concerns also pose a threat to sovereignty and security of our country. The Ministry of Information Technology has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India. The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures.
“The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs has also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these malicious apps. This Ministry has also received many representations raising concerns from citizens regarding security of data and risk to privacy relating to operation of certain apps. The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has also received many representations from citizens regarding security of data and breach of privacy impacting upon public order issues. Likewise, there have been similar bipartisan concerns, flagged by various public representatives, both outside and inside the Parliament of India. There has been a strong chorus in the public space to take strict action against Apps that harm India’s sovereignty as well as the privacy of our citizens.
“On the basis of these and upon receiving of recent credible inputs that such Apps pose threat to sovereignty and integrity of India, the Government of India has decided to disallow the usage of certain Apps, used in both mobile and non-mobile Internet-enabled devices. These apps are listed in the attached appendix.”
Stay tuned with TheCourierDaily (TCD!) for more news.
