On November 24, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology banned 43 more apps under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 read with various other relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009. This was done in view of the comprehensive reports received from Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center, Ministry of Home Affairs.
The government has blocked these mobile apps, mostly Chinese, for activities that are “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order“. Four apps owned by China’s retail giant, the Alibaba Group, are on the latest banned list.
The present ban is not shocking as the government had banned various other mobile apps earlier. The government had first banned 59 Chinese apps in June as tension with China peaked following the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers in a clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley.
In September, the government banned 118 more apps saying they posed a threat to the country’s sovereignty.
A total of 220 apps now stand blocked, including the viral video platform TikTok and the popular mobile shooting game, PUBG, in what ministers have described as a “digital strike”.
List of apps that have been blocked for access in India in the recent order are provided below:
- AliSuppliers Mobile App
- Alibaba Workbench
- AliExpress – Smarter Shopping, Better Living
- Alipay Cashier
- Lalamove India – Delivery App
- Drive with Lalamove India
- Snack Video
- CamCard – Business Card Reader
- CamCard – BCR (Western)
- Soul- Follow the soul to find you
- Chinese Social – Free Online Dating Video App & Chat
- Date in Asia – Dating & Chat For Asian Singles
- WeDate-Dating App
- Free dating app-Singol, start your date!
- Adore App
- TrulyChinese – Chinese Dating App
- TrulyAsian – Asian Dating App
- ChinaLove: dating app for Chinese singles
- DateMyAge: Chat, Meet, Date Mature Singles Online
- AsianDate: find Asian singles
- FlirtWish: chat with singles
- Guys Only Dating: Gay Chat
- Tubit: Live Streams
- WeWorkChina
- First Love Live- super hot live beauties live online
- Rela – Lesbian Social Network
- Cashier Wallet
- MangoTV
- MGTV-HunanTV official TV APP
- WeTV – TV version
- WeTV – Cdrama, Kdrama&More
- WeTV Lite
- Lucky Live-Live Video Streaming App
- Taobao Live
- DingTalk
- Identity V
- Isoland 2: Ashes of Time
- BoxStar (Early Access)
- Heroes Evolved
- Happy Fish
- Jellipop Match-Decorate your dream island！
- Munchkin Match: magic home building
- Conquista Online II
While doing so, the Centre said that “The government is committed to protect the interests of citizens and sovereignty and integrity of India on all fronts and it shall take all possible steps to ensure that.”
Reported by Ujjawal Bhargava, Student Ambassador
[…] While ‘sensitive personal data’ has been defined under the Bill to include a wide range of information such as financial data, health data, sexual identity and orientation, biometric data, caste, religious beliefs, etc., ‘critical personal data’ has not been defined. The explanation to Section 33 states that the Central Government may notify the categories of personal data to constitute ‘critical personal data’. The Bill has given the Government authorities significant discretion to monitor and regulate the cross-border flows of data. The Bill also does not set out any parameters for the Central Government to make its decision for categorization of critical personal data. This may indicate the Government’s slight bias towards data localization, especially in light of the recent take down orders and bans. (See here and here). […]
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