Government denies TikTok comeback, India ban still in place: Report

The government has not issued any directive to unblock the Chinese social media platform TikTok, claims a report. This comes after the reports surfaced that some users were able to access TikTok’s website on a desktop browser, sparking speculation of a possible India comeback. “The Government of India has not issued any unblocking order for TikTok. Any such statement or news is false and misleading,” a source told PTI.

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For those who are unaware, TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps were banned in June 2020 following border clashes in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley. The government cited threats to the country’s “sovereignty and integrity” as the reason for the decision. WeChat, Weibo, Clash of Kings, and CamScanner were among the apps that were initially banned before being expanded to include others.

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During that time, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) stated that it had received numerous complaints regarding the misuse of user data and its transfer to servers 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,” said the ministry’s statement.

When TikTok was banned, it had over 120 million users in India, making it one of the world’s most important markets. Following the ban, TikTok stated its intention to collaborate with authorities to ensure user security. The company’s spokesperson did not make any further statements.

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Ashish Singh

Ashish Singh is the Chief Copy Editor at Digit. He's been wrangling tech jargon since 2020 (Times Internet, Jagran English '22). When not policing commas, he's likely fueling his gadget habit with coffee, strategising his next virtual race, or plotting a road trip to test the latest in-car tech. He speaks fluent Geek. View Full Profile