India’s ministry of electronics and information technology has issued fresh notices to make permanent a ban imposed on video app TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps in June, Indian media reported late on Monday.
When it first imposed the ban, the Indian government gave the 59 apps a chance to explain their position on compliance with privacy and security requirements, the Times of India reported on Monday.
The companies, which include ByteDance’s popular video-sharing app TikTok, Tencent Holdings’ WeChat, and Alibaba’s UC Browser, were also asked to respond to a list of questions, the newspaper said.
”The government is not satisfied with the response/explanation given by these companies. Hence, the ban for these 59 apps is permanent now,” a source familiar with the notices as saying. It said the notices were issued last week.
The ministry’s June order stated that the apps were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of state and public order.”
In September, India banned another 118 mobile apps, including Tencent’s popular videogame PUBG, as it stepped up the pressure on Chinese technology companies following the standoff at the border.
