Mukul Rohatgi unwilling to take TikTok as a client; won't represent Chinese company vs GoI

Former Attorney General of India (AG) Mukul Rohatgi has expressed his unwillingness to take on Chinese video-sharing platform TikTok as a client following the ban imposed by the Centre on 59 China-origin apps. Rohatgi has refused to represent TikTok, citing that he will not represent a Chinese company against the Government of India amid ongoing 'tense times'.

Earlier, TikTok, in its first response after the ban, had said that it was complying with the 'interim order' and that it would meet concerned government stakeholders for an 'opportunity to respond and submit clarifications'.

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TikTok's first response after ban

The Government of India took the call to ban 59 China-origin apps, including TikTok, UC Browser, ShareIt among other apps following 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". 

In its statement, TikTok said that it was in the process of complying with the 'interim order' and that it had been invited to meet govt stakeholders to respond and submit clarifications. The statement further said that TikTok has democratized the internet by making it available in 14 Indian languages, with hundreds of millions of users, artists, storytellers, educators and performers depending on it for their livelihood, many of whom are first-time internet users.

"We have been invited to meet concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications. TikTok continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and has not shared any information of our users in India with any foreign government, including the Chinese government," the statement reads.

"Further we are requested to in the future we would not do so. We place the highest importance on user privacy and integrity," it added.

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'A matter of very deep and immediate concern' 

The ban on the Chinese apps comes against the backdrop of current stand-off along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh with Chinese troops. The list of apps that have been banned also includes WeChat, Helo, Likee, CamScanner, Vigo Video, Mi Video Call  Xiaomi, Clash of Kings as well as e-commerce platforms Club Factory and Shein.

The Information Technology Ministry in a statement 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 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," the statement said.

A formal order asking phone companies to block the applications is being issued. The move will "safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace", the IT ministry added. The following morning, TikTok went off the Play Store.

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