296 mobile apps banned in India: Government in Rajya Sabha
The government has blocked 296 mobile apps since 2014, the union minister Sanjay Dhotre told Rajya Sabha. These apps have been banned in the interest of the country's sovereignty, security, and public order, said the minister.
In a written reply to Dhotre said, "A total of 296 mobile applications have been blocked by government since 2014, under the provisions of section 69A of IT Act 2000 and its rules... in the interest of sovereignty & integrity of India, security of the State and public order."
The minister said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had received "several reports about misuse of some Chinese mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms". Dhotre said that there have been several reports received that showed how these apps misuse data. These apps, he said, are misused for "... for stealing and transmitting user data such as financial data, permission for accessing of all possible data available in device, etc and real-time activity surreptitiously to servers located outside India".
"This has serious repercussions in light of national security and current tense border situation," the letter adds.
Pointing to the dangers of masses in India using these apps, Dhotre said that usage of these apps enables compilation of huge data that can be collated, analysed, profiled and mined by "elements who are hostile to the sovereignty and integrity of India and for activities detrimental to national security, security of India, defence of India as well as public order, apart from being detrimental to the interest of the general public."
In June last year, government banned 59 Chinese apps as tensions continue to escalate along its disputed border with China. This was fiollowed by ban on 118 more Chinese apps in September 2020.
The list of banned Chinese apps includes Baidu, Alipay and some versions of the messaging app WeChat. “This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety, security and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace,” said a statement issued Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
In a written reply to Dhotre said, "A total of 296 mobile applications have been blocked by government since 2014, under the provisions of section 69A of IT Act 2000 and its rules... in the interest of sovereignty & integrity of India, security of the State and public order."
The minister said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had received "several reports about misuse of some Chinese mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms". Dhotre said that there have been several reports received that showed how these apps misuse data. These apps, he said, are misused for "... for stealing and transmitting user data such as financial data, permission for accessing of all possible data available in device, etc and real-time activity surreptitiously to servers located outside India".
"This has serious repercussions in light of national security and current tense border situation," the letter adds.
Pointing to the dangers of masses in India using these apps, Dhotre said that usage of these apps enables compilation of huge data that can be collated, analysed, profiled and mined by "elements who are hostile to the sovereignty and integrity of India and for activities detrimental to national security, security of India, defence of India as well as public order, apart from being detrimental to the interest of the general public."
In June last year, government banned 59 Chinese apps as tensions continue to escalate along its disputed border with China. This was fiollowed by ban on 118 more Chinese apps in September 2020.
The list of banned Chinese apps includes Baidu, Alipay and some versions of the messaging app WeChat. “This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety, security and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace,” said a statement issued Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
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