TikTok Return to India? Government Clears the Air

TikTok Not Returning to India: Government Confirms Ban Still in Place

There’s been a buzz online about TikTok making a comeback in India after some users claimed they could access its website. But government officials have clarified – the ban on TikTok is still in place.

A senior official from the Ministry of Electronics and IT confirmed,

“The Government of India has not lifted the ban on TikTok. Any news suggesting otherwise is false and misleading.”

The app has been unavailable on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store since June 2020, when the government banned 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok, UC Browser, and WeChat.

The ban was imposed due to concerns over data privacy, national security, and sovereignty, especially after border tensions between India and China escalated during the Galwan Valley clashes.

At that time, officials reported that several apps were allegedly collecting sensitive data like location details and transferring them to servers in China. Some apps were also flagged for containing inappropriate content.

Before the ban, TikTok had nearly 200 million users in India, making it one of the app’s biggest markets. But as of now, there’s no sign of it officially returning.

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