The US House of Representatives passes legislation that could lead to a ban on TikTok, following India’s decision to block the Chinese app in June 2020. The Indian government cited security concerns and violated Section 69 of the IT Act to block over 300 Chinese apps, including TikTok, WeChat, and Shareit.
On June 29, 2020, TikTok, controlled by Chinese giant ByteDance, was banned in India, one of the largest markets for the app outside of China. This move was in response to security threats linked to the Chinese government accessing data through the app, according to officials.
After the ban, TikTok laid off its entire India staff of 40 employees. The Indian Army also instructed personnel to delete 89 mobile apps, including Chinese ones, due to concerns about leaking information. This crackdown on Chinese apps is part of a broader effort to protect India’s sovereignty and integrity.
Despite its ban in India and now Nepal, TikTok remains popular worldwide. India has seen a surge in short-form video platform users, with over 250 million users, mainly from tier-2 cities and rural areas. This trend highlights the growing influence of social media platforms, even amidst security concerns and app bans.
