New Delhi: The government on Monday banned 59 mobile apps including Tik Tok, UC Browser and other Chinese apps "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity and defence" of the country and "security of the state and public order."
The Ministry of Information Technology said in a release that it has decided to block 59 apps in view of the information available "they are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order".
The release said that the Ministry of Information Technology has 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 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. At the same time, there have been raging concerns on aspects relating to data security and safeguarding the privacy of 130 crore Indians," said the release.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these malicious apps, the release said. This Ministry also received many representations raising concerns from citizens regarding the security of data and risk to privacy relating to the operation of certain apps. The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has also received many representations from citizens regarding the security of data and breach of privacy impacting upon public order issues. "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", the release said. The apps which have been banned are:
1. TikTok 2. Shareit 3. Kwai 4. UC Browser 5. Baidu map 6. Shein 7. Clash of Kings 8. DU battery saver 9. Helo 10. Likee 11. YouCam makeup 12. Mi Community 13. CM Browers 14. Virus Cleaner 15. APUS Browser 16. ROMWE 17. Club Factory 18. Newsdog 19. Beutry Plus 20. WeChat 21. UC News 22. QQ Mail 23. Weibo 24. Xender 25. QQ Music 26. QQ Newsfeed 27. Bigo Live 28. SelfieCity 29. Mail Master 30. Parallel Space 31. Mi Video Call - Xiaomi 32. WeSync 33. ES File Explorer 34. Viva Video - QU Video Inc 35. Meitu 36. Vigo Video 37. New Video Status 38. DU Recorder 39. Vault- Hide 40. Cache Cleaner DU App studio 41. DU Cleaner 42. DU Browser 43. Hago Play With New Friends 44. Cam Scanner 45. Clean Master - Cheetah Mobile 46. Wonder Camera 47. Photo Wonder 48. QQ Player 49. We Meet 50. Sweet Selfie 51. Baidu Translate 52. Vidmate 53. QQ International 54. QQ Security Center 55. QQ Launcher 56. U Video 57. V fly Status Video 58. Mobile Legends 59. DU Privacy
