Earlier today, reports of Chinese apps facing a ban in India surfaced online. Now, the Government of India has released the list of apps facing the ban. This time the list includes 54 apps that included previously banned apps that have resurfaced as clones. Whats’ even more shocking, Garena Free Fire seems to be on the list as well.
Google has “temporarily blocked access” to these Chinese apps from its Play store as a result of the interim order. Moreover, Garena Free Fire also disappeared from the stores of both Apple and Google earlier this weekend. In the meantime, let us look at the list of apps that is facing the ban in India:
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Here’s the full list of the banned Chinese apps:
- Beauty Camera: Sweet Selfie HD
- Beauty Camera – Selfie Camera
- Equalizer – Bass Booster & Volume EQ & Virtualizer
- Music Player – Music, MP3 Player
- Equalizer & Bass Booster – Music Volume EQ
- Music Plus – MP3 Player
- Equalizer Pro – Volume Booster & Bass Booster
- Video Player Media All Format
- Music Player – Equalizer & MP3
- Volume Booster – Loud Speaker & Sound Booster
- Music Player – MP3 Player
- CamCard for SalesForce Ent
- Isoland 2: Ashes of Time Lite
- Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade
- APUS Security HD (Pad Version)
- Parallel Space Lite 32 Support
- Viva Video Editor – Snack Video Maker with Music
- Nice video baidu
- Tencent Xriver
- Onmyoji Chess
- Onmyoji Arena
- AppLock
- Dual Space Lite – Multiple Accounts & Clone App
- Dual Space Pro – Multiple Accounts & App Cloner
- DualSpace Lite – 32Bit Support
- Dual Space – 32Bit Support
- Conquer Online – MMORPG Game
- Dual Space – 64Bit Support
- Dual Space Pro – 32Bit Support
- Conquer Online
- Live Weather & Radar – Alerts
- Notes – Color Notepad, Notebook
- MP3 Cutter – Ringtone Maker & Audio Cutter
- Voice Recorder & Voice Changer
- Barcode Scanner – QR Code Scan
- Lica Cam – selfie camera app
- EVE Echoes
- Astracraft
- UU Game Booster-network solution for high ping
- Extraordinary Ones
- Badlanders
- Stick Fight: The Game Mobile
- Twilight Pioneers
- CuteU: Match With The World
- SmallWorld-Enjoy groupchat and video chat
- CuteU Pro
- FancyU – Video Chat & Meetup
- RealU: Go Live, Make Friends
- MoonChat: Enjoy Video Chats
- RealU Lite -video to live!
- Wink: Connect Now
- FunChat Meet People Around You
- FancyU pro – Instant Meetup through Video chat!
- Garena Free Fire – Illuminate
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Why and How is the ban happening?
To bring the ban into force, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has also ordered Google and Apple to block access to the Chinese apps. Moreover, the ministry is imposing the ban under the provisions of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The section essentially grants the government the power to block public access to content through any computing device.
“These 54 apps allegedly obtain various critical permissions and collects sensitive user data. These collected real-time data are being misused and transmitted to servers located in hostile country. In addition there are other serious concerns as some of these apps can carry out Espionage and Surveillance activities via camera/ mic, accessing fine location (GPS) and do malicious network activity similar to previously blocked apps. These Chinese apps were allegedly engaged in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of the country also posing serious threat to Security of the State and defense of India.”
Government of India
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At Last
If you recall, the government of India has already banned 267 applications over security threat concerns. Of these, 59 applications were also banned on June 29, 2020. Followed by 47 applications on August 10, 2020. However, after this, 118 such applications were banned on September 1, 2020. Meanwhile, the remaining 43 were banned on November 19, 2020.
Although this is not an official list, it does look legit because of the sources it comes from.
