Breaking Down the 54 Apps Banned in India: Here’s the Complete List
On June 29, 2020, India banned 59 Chinese apps, including popular ones such as TikTok, UC Browser, and WeChat citing data privacy and national security issues. This move garnered a lot of attention, and as a follow-up, on September 2, 2020, India again banned an additional 118 mobile apps, of which 43 were clones or variants of the apps that were banned earlier. Later on, January 25, 2021, another ban was put in place on 59 mobile apps with Chinese affiliation, bringing the total number of banned apps to 267, including the September ban. In this blog post, we will focus on the latest ban and the 54 apps that were part of this.
Introduction
Chinese apps have been under scrutiny globally for their data handling practices, and India has been one of the countries most proactive in taking action against them. The latest ban has come as a result of the Government’s concerns about user privacy and data security.
The Banned Apps
The 54 banned apps come from various categories such as gaming, social, and utility. Among them, some of the notable ones are AliSuppliers Mobile App, Alibaba Workbench, CamCard, WeTV, and Baidu. Let’s take a closer look at the banned apps and the reason behind the ban.
Social
The ban includes social networking apps such as WeChat Work and WeChat Reading. These apps are primarily used for instant messaging and content sharing. The Government believes that these apps are a threat to national security and data privacy as they capture sensitive information about Indian users.
Gaming
The ban also includes gaming apps such as Game of Sultans, Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade, and AFK Arena. These apps have also been cited as threats to national security as they collect user data that can be accessed by hostile entities.
Utility
The list also includes app store apps such as the Baidu search engine and Sougou search. These apps have been accused of collecting user data and sending it to Chinese servers, which can be used for espionage activities.
Conclusion
The ban on these 54 mobile apps is part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to counter the data security and privacy threats posed by Chinese apps. While the move may cause some inconvenience to users who relied on these apps, it’s vital to understand that it’s in their best interest. The Government has made it clear that it’s taking steps to protect the country’s interests and ensure that Indian users’ sensitive data is not misused. It’s time for us to be more discerning about the apps we use and the data we share with them.
In conclusion, the ban is a significant move that the Government believes is necessary to safeguard national security and user privacy. The apps that have been banned have a history of data privacy violations and therefore pose a significant threat to the Indian users. It’s important to note that Indian users’ data must be protected at all costs, and the Government must ensure that it’s safe from any external threat.
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