The Government of India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps in India. TikTok is certainly the biggest name in the list, being ranked 4th in India before it got taken down. We spoke to two Tech TikTokers to understand how they feel about the ban
We won’t be hearing about TikTok for a while now. The viral video sharing app has been banned by the Indian Government along with 58 other apps originating out of China, and this one’s not a hoax. The order came straight The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking the power under section 69A of the IT Act 2009, based on “information available they are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”
The appendix lists out popular apps like UC Browser, Shareit, Helo, Likee, WeChat, ES File Explorer and a bunch of utility and community apps, including that of Xiaomi.
Among the 59 apps, TikTok is certainly the largest, and would probably be missed a lot. Based on stats provided by Apptrace, it’s presently ranked fourth in India on the Google Play Store and ranked sixth on the App Store. And the viral short video platform boasts a whopping 119 million active users in India alone!
Popular sentiments nonetheless, TikTok had become a viral phenomenon among teenagers and young adults who participate in lip-syncing songs, comedic skits and viral challenges, which gets consumed and shared millions of times. Even if you are not on TikTok, chances are, you hear about the app or the ‘TikTokers’ every few days.
The app has now been taken down from the Google Playstore and the Apple Appstore. Considering the influential platform it had become, banning the app would certainly have an impact on these creators, and the popularity and following they command.
