All permanently banned apps had already been censored on the Indian internet space as part of the government’s unprecedented action against a total of 267 apps (in multiple batches) since the end of June last year.
The government had originally brought an action against Chinese apps under Section 69A of the IT Act, accusing them of engaging in activities harmful to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the defense of India, the security of the state and the public order.
The permanent ban comes after government officials IT Ministry expressed dissatisfaction with the response of companies to various queries raised by the government, including their data collection and data processing methods, as well as those related to data security and privacy.
Others believed to have been permanently banned include Xiaomi’s SHAREit, Likee, Weibo, and Mi Community.
The government had started to squeeze influence and dominance from Chinese apps in India in light of the growing tensions (including at the border) between the two countries, especially as they were accused of misusing data from China. Indian citizens and companies, monitor and engage in anti-India activities.
Those ordered to block in previous rounds had been notified by the IT Ministry and asked to provide details regarding their operations in India, their subscribers, their data collection and information processing practices, among others. stuff.
The long list of questions also sought details about “unauthorized access to data” by Chinese companies for having weak security features that lead to espionage or surveillance through unauthorized access to data.
Official sources said companies were notified of the permanent ban on an individual basis last week.
A Xiaomi spokesperson said: “My India complies with all government orders and will continue to do so and engage with relevant stakeholders for the same.”
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