NEW DELHI: The central government has decided to block 14 messenger mobile applications that were being used as platforms of communication by terrorists based in Pakistan to transmit information to Jammu and Kashmir.
According to several media reports, it was claimed that Crypviser, Enigma, Safeswiss, Wickrme, Mediafire, Briar, BChat, Nandbox, Conion, IMO, Element, Second line, Zangi, Threema are among many other apps to be blocked by the government at the Centre.
During an investigation, it was found that the applications were used by terrorists in Pakistan to send coded messages to overground workers and other operatives in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Another fact that emerged is that these apps were being used by terrorists in Kashmir to communicate with their supporters and on-ground workers.
This is not the first instance that the government has taken action against mobile applications that pose a threat to the country’s national security.
Earlier also, numerous Chinese apps were banned by the Indian government, on the accusation of these being prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, the defence sector, the country’s security, as well as the law and public order.
Over the past few years, a total of around 250 Chinese apps have been banned by the government. Since June 2020, more than 200 Chinese apps have been banned, including popular ones such as TikTok, Shareit, WeChat, Helo, Likee, UC News, Bigo Live, UC Browser, Xender, Camscanner, and popular mobile games such as PUBG Mobile and Garena Free Fire,.
In February this year, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology announced the banning of betting and loan apps in India. After banning several Chinese apps due to security threat posed to the country, the government found more apps threatening the integrity and sovereignty of the nation. Many loan apps in India were found to be extorting money from financially-strapped users.
On the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs, MeitY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) announced that it is all set to ban 232 online betting and loan apps in India. All these apps violate Section 69 of the IT Act and were found to have third-party links with China. Moreover, the betting apps are actively trapping users in debt. Many suicides were reported due to such debt- traps.
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