Government directs internet companies to immediately block Chinese apps
The government has issued web link along with IP addresses, which will make Internet service providers to easily block the access to Chinese apps.
The government on Tuesday directed all internet service providers to block 59 Chinese mobile apps under emergency clause of the IT Act, according to sources.
The order has been issued in two sets -- the first set contains a list of 35 apps and the other 24 apps based out of China, the sources said.
"Order to block all 59 Chinese apps to internet service providers have been issued now," a telecom ministry source told PTI.
The list has same set of apps as was announced by the government on Monday. It includes names of TikTok, UC News, UC Browser, Viva Video, Mi Video Call, Bigo Live, Wechat, etc.
"The government has issued web link along with IP addresses, which will make Internet service providers to easily block the access to Chinese apps," an industry source said.
"The Ministry of Electronics and & Information Technology has issued directions for blocking 24 apps under the emergency clause 69A of the IT Act 2000, in addition to 35 apps for whose blocking instructions have been issued earlier today itself," a DoT order to internet companies said.
India on Monday banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including hugely popular TikTok and UC Browser, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity, and security of the country.
In an official statement, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said it 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 Confederation of All India Traders ( CAIT) also complimented Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the Government of India for such a massive step of banning 59 Chinese applications, which will be a big support to CAIT’s Boycott Chinese Goods campaign.
(Disclaimer: Additional background information has been added to this PTI copy for context)
Edited by Megha Reddy