Govt blocks PUBG, 117 other mobile apps over security concerns
New Delhi, September 2, 2020
The Government today banned 118 mobile applications over national security concerns, including the popular PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile, Baidu and a couple of virtual private networks (VPNs) that allowed access to Tik Tok that had been banned some weeks ago.
The apps have been banned because they are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, the defence of India, the security of the state and public order, an official press release said.
The release from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had invoked its power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 and in view of the emergent nature of threats to block the 118 mobile apps.
It said information was available that they were "engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order".
"The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized 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," it said.
The release said the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs had also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these "malicious apps".
"Likewise, there have been similar bipartisan concerns, flagged by various public representatives, both outside and inside the Parliament of India. There has been a strong chorus in the public space to take strict action against Apps that harm India’s sovereignty as well as the privacy of our citizens," it said.
"On the basis of these and upon receiving of recent credible inputs that information posted, permissions sought, functionality embedded as well as data harvesting practices of above stated Apps raise serious concerns that these Apps collect and share data in surreptitious manner and compromise personal data and information of users that can have a severe threat to security of the State.
"In the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India and security of the State, and using the sovereign powers, the Government of India has decided to block the usage of certain Apps, used in both mobile and non-mobile Internet enabled devices," it said.
"This move will safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety, security and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace," the release said.
The following are the apps:
APUS Launcher Pro- Theme, Live Wallpapers, Smart
APUS Launcher -Theme, Call Show, Wallpaper, HideApps
APUS Security -Antivirus, Phone security, Cleaner
APUS Turbo Cleaner 2020- Junk Cleaner, Anti-Virus
APUS Flashlight-Free & Bright
Cut Cut – Cut Out & Photo Background Editor
Baidu
Baidu Express Edition
FaceU - Inspire your Beauty
ShareSave by Xiaomi: Latest gadgets, amazing deals
CamCard - Business Card Reader
CamCard Business
CamCard for Salesforce
CamOCR
InNote
VooV Meeting - Tencent Video Conferencing
Super Clean - Master of Cleaner, Phone Booster
WeChat reading
Government WeChat
Small Q brush
Tencent Weiyun
Pitu
WeChat Work
Cyber Hunter
Cyber Hunter Lite
Knives Out-No rules, just fight!
Super Mecha Champions
LifeAfter
Dawn of Isles
Ludo World-Ludo Superstar
Chess Rush
PUBG MOBILE Nordic Map: Livik
PUBG MOBILE LITE
Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade
Art of Conquest: Dark Horizon
Dank Tanks
Warpath
Game of Sultans
Gallery Vault - Hide Pictures And Videos
Smart AppLock (App Protect)
Message Lock (SMS Lock)-Gallery Vault Developer Team
Hide App-Hide Application Icon
AppLock
AppLock Lite
Dual Space - Multiple Accounts & App Cloner
ZAKZAK Pro - Live chat & video chat online
ZAKZAK LIVE: live-streaming & video chat app
Music - Mp3 Player
Music Player - Audio Player & 10 Bands Equalizer
HD Camera Selfie Beauty Camera
Cleaner - Phone Booster
Web Browser & Fast Explorer
Video Player All Format for Android
Photo Gallery HD & Editor
Photo Gallery & Album
Music Player - Bass Booster - Free Download
HD Camera - Beauty Cam with Filters & Panorama
HD Camera Pro & Selfie Camera
Music Player - MP3 Player & 10 Bands Equalizer
Gallery HD
Web Browser - Fast, Privacy & Light Web Explorer
Web Browser - Secure Explorer
Music player - Audio Player
Video Player - All Format HD Video Player
Lamour Love All Over The World
Amour- video chat & call all over the world.
MV Master - Make Your Status Video & Community
MV Master - Best Video Maker & Photo Video Editor
APUS Message Center-Intelligent management
LivU Meet new people & Video chat with strangers
Carrom Friends : Carrom Board & Pool Game-
Ludo All Star- Play Online Ludo Game & Board Games
Bike Racing : Moto Traffic Rider Bike Racing Games
Rangers Of Oblivion : Online Action MMO RPG Game
Z Camera - Photo Editor, Beauty Selfie, Collage
GO SMS Pro - Messenger, Free Themes, Emoji
U-Dictionary: Oxford Dictionary Free Now Translate
Ulike - Define your selfie in trendy style
Tantan - Date For Real
MICO Chat: New Friends Banaen aur Live Chat karen
Kitty Live - Live Streaming & Video Live Chat
Malay Social Dating App to Date & Meet Singles
Alipay
AlipayHK
Mobile Taobao
Youku
Road of Kings- Endless Glory
Sina News
Netease News
Penguin FM
Murderous Pursuits
Tencent Watchlist (Tencent Technology
Learn Chinese AI-Super Chinese
HUYA LIVE – Game Live Stream
Little Q Album
Fighting Landlords - Free and happy Fighting Landlords
Hi Meitu
Mobile Legends: Pocket
VPN for TikTok
VPN for TikTok
Penguin E-sports Live assistant
Buy Cars-offer everything you need, special offers and low prices
iPick
Beauty Camera Plus - Sweet Camera & Face Selfie
Parallel Space Lite - Dual App
Chief Almighty: First Thunder BC
MARVEL Super War NetEase Games
AFK Arena
Creative Destruction NetEase Games
Crusaders of Light NetEase Games
Mafia City Yotta Games
Onmyoji NetEase Games
Ride Out Heroes NetEase Games
Yimeng Jianghu-Chu Liuxiang has been fully upgraded
Legend: Rising Empire NetEase Games
Arena of Valor: 5v5 Arena Games
Soul Hunters
Rules of Survival
IANS adds:
The PUBG game, which has more than 600 million downloads and 50 million active players globally, has millions of users, especially young, in India.
PUBG Mobile saw a global revenue gain of $1.3 billion (roughly Rs 9,731 crore) in the first half of this year, bringing its lifetime collection to $3 billion (nearly Rs 22,457 crore) with the highest number of downloads in India which ranks at the top with 175 million installs as people stayed home owing to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.
PUBG was not banned in India earlier as it is not entirely Chinese. The game has been created and managed by Bluehole which is a South Korean organisation.
After PUBG became popular, Tencent -- a Chinese conglomerate -- joined hands with Bluehole to market the product in China and started handling a large portion of its distribution. The game is distributed in India by Tencent Holdings.
The ban on PUBG came as it announced the arrival of a new gaming era with its 1.0 version, along with global mobile esports tournament PUBG Mobile Global Championship (PMGC) with a grand prize pool of $2 million (about Rs 15 crore).
Other popular banned apps in the fresh list of banned apps are Baidu and Baidu Express Edition, ShareSave by Xiaomi, WeChat Work, Tencent Weiyun, Tencent Watchlist, Alipay, GO SMS Pro, ZAKZAK Pro and Live, Smart AppLock and Ludo World-Ludo Superstar, among others.
In July, the government barred 47 Chinese apps from operating in the country, which were largely clones of the previously 59 apps banned in June.
On June 29, the government banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser and Xiaomi's Mi Community over national security concerns amid the border tussle in Ladakh which led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley clash with Chinese PLA troops.
Other Chinese apps in the banned list were Club Factory, SHAREit, Likee, Mi Video Call (Xiaomi), Weibo, Baidu, BIGO LIVE and more.
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