After taking down 59 Chinese apps that allegedly posed a threat to user privacy and security, the Indian government has decided to put its foot down and ban 47 more apps, which were acting as clones to entities like TikTok and Camscanner.
Last month, India decided to clamp down on 59 China made apps, under the provisions of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, most notable of them being the supremely popular social media platform-TikTok, citing security concerns and a threat to user privacy. However, as soon as the decision was implemented, many decided to take advantage of the situation. While some took more sophisticated routes to the copying of features (looking at you Instagram Reels), others were a lot more flagrant, and launched apps that mimicked the banned apps blatantly.
However, the Indian government is not ready to loosen its grip on China, and thus, a ban is imminent on 47 other ‘Clone apps’, including Cam Scanner Advance (really original). We still do not have an official list of all the apps that will be banned, neither do we have an official announcement from the concerned Ministry. What we do have is a news from DD News, which reads:
Govt. bans 47 such apps which are clones of those #apps that have already been banned earlier pic.twitter.com/2tRBkAvfht
— DD News (@DDNewslive) July 27, 2020
DD News is the official government broadcaster for the Government of India. Thus, official word from the government should arrive shortly.
A report from India Today TV states that the government is also reviewing a list of 250 other apps from probable threat to user privacy or national security violations. This list includes some big names, including the Tencent backed PUBG Mobile, which has made its way to millions of Indian smartphones.
