The Indian government has refuted viral reports that TikTok is being unblocked in India. The officials on Friday have clarified that no directive has been given to remove the ban on the Chinese video-sharing platform. There was speculation following reports of some users being able to access the TikTok site using desktop browsers, leading to speculation that it is returning. The government has, however, clarified that these reports are false and misleading.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, was banned in June 2020 with 58 other applications following the violent clash between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh. The ban was made at that time on the basis of threats to national security, sovereignty and data privacy. The ruling affected more than 120 million TikTok users in India, which was one of the largest markets of the platform.
Why was TikTok banned?
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said it had been hearing complaints of misuse of user data and its transfer to servers based outside India. The ministry observed that these practices were risky to the national security and privacy of the citizens. It also pointed at an increased pressure put on the government to take stern measures against apps that are perceived to be a threat to Indian interests.
Other apps affected by the ban
In 2020, popular Chinese apps like UC Browser, WeChat, CamScanner, Clash of Kings, and social network Weibo were also banned. The crackdown was later expanded to other platforms such as the very popular game PUBG. The government claimed the urgent action was to protect sovereignty and against exploitation of data.
ByteDance has a workforce of approximately 2,000 employees in India, and after the ban, the company stated that it was sticking with the government. A spokesperson of the company emphasised the commitment to user safety and regulatory compliance on TikTok. Nevertheless, it is not the first time TikTok has been restricted in India. Earlier the app was blocked temporarily following the court raising concerns of child exploitation, pornography and cyberbullying and then reinstated on appeal.