118 Chinese Apps including PUBG banned by Government amid border rift
New Delhi: The Central on Wednesday announced to ban 118 Chinese mobile apps, including the popular game PUBG. This comes amid the growing tension between the two nation at the border.
The apps have been banned by the Ministry of Electronics and Information and Technology as “they are engaged in activities prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”.
Government Blocks 118 Mobile Apps Which are Prejudicial to Sovereignty and Integrity of India, Defence of India, Security of State and Public Order.
— Ministry of Electronics & IT (@GoI_MeitY) September 2, 2020
Press Release issued by @GoI_MeitY regarding blocking of 118 mobile apps https://t.co/VyahsHR5f0
According to the press release, The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said that they have received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India.
“The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures,” added in the release.
The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre under the Ministry of Home Affairs has also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these malicious apps, said the statement. “Likewise, there have been similar bipartisan concerns, flagged by various public representatives, both outside and inside the Parliament of India. There has been a strong chorus in the public space to take strict action against Apps that harm India’s sovereignty as well as the privacy of our citizens,” it further said.
The list of banned apps includes:
