Why is India banning and blocking TikTok, Shareit and other apps: Here are reasons govt gave
India TodayAmid escalating tensions between India and China, the country's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has gone ahead and banned a total of 59 Chinese applications. In the release, it said: "The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking it’s power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology Rules 2009 and in view of the emergent nature of threats has decided to block 59 apps since 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 government claims that the apps are being banned because they are engaged in "activities prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of state and public order." -- The release clarifies that the "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 unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India." -- The government has also clarified that the Computer Emergency Response Team has also received many "representations from citizens regarding the security of data and breach of privacy impacting upon public order issues."