Chinese Apps: Government Denies Passing Order to Ban TikTok, CamScanner, Others From Google Play, App Store

The viral fake message lists 14 original Chinese apps that are to be restricted in India by Google Play and the App Store.

On Friday the government dismissed a viral message claiming that the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) had placed limits on a number of ‘Chinese applications’ in India. The message has been making Internet rounds, claiming that the National Informatics Center (NIC) that comes under the Meity has asked Apple and Google to “immediately” restrict Chinese-origin apps on Google Play and App Store. TikTok, Clash of Kings, Game of Sultans, Vigo Video and more included the alleged list of Chinese-originated apps in the viral fake message.

In a tweet, the government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) checked the viral message and dubbed it fake, saying NIC didn’t deliver the message.

https://twitter.com/PIBFactCheck/status/1273923942349041664/photo/1

What does the viral message say?

PIB ‘s viral post reveaux that the NIC ordered 14 devices supplied by Chinese companies in the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store. It also shows that the app has been placed under restriction. The news claims that the government has directed Google and Apple regional executives to restrict applications because of their risk to user privacy and the risk of compromising the “sovereignty of the country.”

The lists include applications like LiveMe, Bigo Live, Vigo Video, Vigo Plus, CamScanner, Clash of Kings. The government has also said that Apple and Google have requested TikTok to be restricted to their applications.

The time of the false message is not surprising , given that anti – China sentiments are rising in the country. Google had removed Google Play’s Remove China app for breach of deceptive behavior policy earlier in the month. Over 50 lakh downloads had been passed by Remove China Apps in a short time.

Likewise, TicTok ‘s alternative Mitron helped increase the anti – China sentiment over the past month to grow massively in India. The TikTok clone app now has more than 50 lakh Google Play downloads.