Why is TikTok still working in India after getting banned by the government?

On June 29, the Indian government announced the ban of 59 Chinese-owned mobile applications in the country which included popular short video sharing platform TikTok. The ban was enforced under Section 69A of the IT Act with relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009. The authority will also instruct the ISPs in the country to block these Chinese apps. This means that users will soon receive a message on their device stating that these apps have been restricted. The decision came a day after TikTok was pulled from the Google Play Store and App Store.

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Why is TikTok still working?

People who have TikTok installed on their phones are still able to use the app despite being officially banned in the country. This involves accessing the app, creating videos and even sharing them with the online community. The app boasted around 119 million active users in the country and was one of the top 10 mobile applications on both the App Store and Google Play Store. And while existing users are still able to use the TikTok app on their devices, new users won’t be able to download it anymore. However, there are a number of other banned Chinese apps that can still be downloaded from the Play Store.

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It is also worth noting that users who have the app downloaded on their devices are also able to view it on the Google Play Store. Once the app is uninstalled, it will no longer be visible on the platform.

Meanwhile, Nikhil Gandhi, Head of TikTok India, recently responded to the move stating that the company has been invited to meet with the concerned government stakeholders for a chance to respond and submit their clarification. It should also be noted that this is not the first time that TikTok has been banned in the country. Previously, the Chinese social media platform was suspended for promoting pornographic content and some privacy concerns; however, it soon made a comeback on the Google Play Store and App Store.

Also Read | Karanvir Bohra Explains Significance Of Deleting TikTok At The Risk Of Monetary Loss

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Image credits: @konkarampelas | Unsplash