TikTok in fresh trouble as government seeks detailed clarifications from the app on circulation of 'unlawful content'

Ministry of Home Affairs (MAH) is now seeking a detailed clarification from TikTok over growing concerns of circulation of "unlawful content" on the app.

As per Ministry of Home Affairs (MAH), TikTok is an intermediary as per the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. The IT Act has provisions for removal of unlawful online content. According to MoS, Section 79 of the IT Act and The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Rules 2011 require that the Intermediaries shall observe due diligence while discharging their duties and shall inform the users of computer resources not to host, display, upload. modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that is, inter alia, grossly harmful, harassing, defamatory, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically objectionable, disparaging, or otherwise unlawful in any manner.

MAH also states that TiKTok is also expected to remove any unlawful content as and when brought to their knowledge either through a court order or through a notice by an appropriate government or its agency.

We have reached out to TikTok for a comment.

Earlier, Ministry of Electronics and IT threatened to ban TiKTok and its sister app Helo in India in response to serious allegations by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch that both the apps are being used for anti-national activities.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu government is also calling for a ban TikTok in light of media reports on deaths of users.