KOLKATA: As the tension between India and China escalates, the Indian government has banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, UC Browser, Shareit, Shein, WeChat, Xender.  The ministry of information technology has invoked its power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act and has said that the apps are engaged in activities “which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”

The ministry has mentioned that it received many complaints from various sources including several reports about the 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 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,” it stated.

The government has decided to disallow the usage of those apps, used in both mobile and non-mobile Internet-enabled devices.