India on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, UC Browser, Helo, Likee, CamScanner, Vigo Video, Mi Video Call - Xiaomi, Clash of Kings as well as e-commerce platforms like Club Factory and Shein.
The IT Ministry in a statement said it had 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 unauthorised 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 statement said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Manish Tewari has on Tuesday posed questions regarding the government's move. Taking to Tewari asked why was Alibaba not on the list. "Is it because of the Paytm connection?" he said. He added, "With this ban are you also certifying that other Chinese APP’s are not a security threat?"
The Congress leader tagged the IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and wrote, "@rsprasad have you thought Chinese APP ban thru? Two questions: 1) What about those accessing banned APP’s via VPN? 2) What about APP’s that will still lie dormant on millions of Indian phones?Do they not constitute a “live/ sleeper” threat?"
Manish Tewari said that the ban was symbolic than substantive.
Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday said that government has banned apps for safety, security, defence, sovereignty and integrity of India.
"For safety, security, defence, sovereignty & integrity of India and to protect data & privacy of people of India the Government has banned 59 mobile apps. Jai Hind!," he said in a tweet.
(With input from Agencies)
