India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology looks poised to permanently block 59 Chinese apps – including TikTok and WeChat – on the grounds that they have failed to address the issues that incurred them a provisional ban last year.
As reported by LiveMint, the ministry blocked hundreds of Chinese apps on a indefinite basis throughout 2020, during which time it issued show-cause notices to the app providers asking them to clarify their stance after concerns arose over the privacy and security of their apps.
India claims that the bans were motivated by data privacy and state security concerns, which likely arose from the notable foothold that major Chinese firms have in India’s consumer and technology markets. Tensions have also been inflamed by a border clash in June 2020 that has since developed into an ongoing conflict.
A statement from TikTok read: “We continually strive to comply with local laws and regulations and do our best to address any concerns the government may have.”
