Is TikTok Really Banned?

A couple of days back, on Monday, the Government Of India has officially announced the ban of TikTok and several other Chinese apps due to various security and privacy concerns. The list of banned apps includes a popular web browser called UC Browser, the most favored file sharing app called Shareit, a well-known document scanner called CamScanner, and plenty of other apps.

Today, in this article, we’re going to take a look at the list of Chinese apps that are officially banned in India and how the ban will be enforced. So, without wasting any further time, let’s go ahead and jump into the article right away.

On What Basis TikTok Has Been Banned?

The ban of the popular short video sharing platform, TikTok and several other Chinese apps was uncovered under the Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 (“Power to issue directions for blocking for public access of any information through any computer resource”) In order for the ban to be official, the central government or any of its authority must authorize it.

The move of banning Chinese apps was done in the best interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, friendly relations with foreign states, defense of India, the security of the State, the public order or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offense relating to above, it may… by order, direct any agency of the Government or intermediary to block for access by the public or cause to be blocked for access by the public any information generated, transmitted, stored, received, or hosted in any computer resource.

How Will The Ban Of TikTok Be Enforced?

The notification of banning TikTok and several Chinese apps came a few days back. As of now, the instructions to ban TikTok and other banned Chinese apps are being sent to various Internet Service Providers across the country. Internet Service Providers are expected to restrict users from accessing the aforementioned apps on their servers.

Hopefully, in a few days, users will start seeing a message that says access to the app or service has been restricted or banned by the Government Of India. Apps like TikTok and UC web require an active internet connection to function properly, however, there are a few other apps like Shareit that do not require the internet to work.

Is TikTok Really Banned From Google Play Store?

Yes, the TikTok and other apps that are included in the banned list have been blocked in the Google Play Store for the India region. As long as you’re in India, you won’t be able to find or download the TikTok and other Chinese apps from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.

Ban On TikTok Is Permanent?

TikTok was once banned as per the order of Madras High Court, however, the app later managed to come back after the lifting of the ban by the court. However, this time, several apps were taken into consideration by keeping national security and public interest in mind.

As of now, it seems the ban of TikTok and other apps is permanent, however, there’s a good chance that the ban will be lifted after some time according to the public interest.

Wrapping Up

Although it’s clear that ban was enforced mainly because of the scrutiny and privacy reasons, However, there’s a chance that it could be a strategic warning to the Chinese businesses or China itself. Make sure to keep an eye on this page to find the latest information regarding the ban of TikTok in India. Let us know what you think of the actions taken by the Government Of India.