Chennai: Fresh notices have been issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to make permanent a ban imposed on video app TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps in June.
When it first imposed the ban, the government gave the 59 apps a chance to explain their position on compliance with privacy and security requirements, it was reported.
The companies, which include ByteDance’s popular video-sharing app TikTok, Tencent Holdings’ WeChat and Alibaba’s UC Browser, were also asked to respond to a list of questions.
The government is not satisfied with the response/explanation given by these companies. Hence, the ban for these 59 apps is permanent now, media reports stated.
The Ministry’s June order stated that the apps were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”.
The order, which India referred to as a ‘digital strike’, followed a skirmish with Chinese troops when 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
In September, India banned another 118 mobile apps, including Tencent’s popular videogame PUBG, as it stepped up the pressure on Chinese technology companies following the standoff at the border.
