TikTok Denies Sharing Indian Users' Data With China; App Disappears From Google Play, Apple Store

Apple and Google seem proactive to the government’s ban of 59 Chinese apps. Both apps TikTok and Helo have disappeared from the App Store and Google Play. However, both companies are yet to officially respond to the move.

Youths act in front of a mobile phone camera while making a TikTok video on the terrace of their residence in Hyderabad. PIC/AFP.

New Delhi, June 30:  In the wake of the government banning 59 Chinese apps, one of the most popular Chinese short video creator app TikTok on Tuesday stated it is in the process of complying with the order and is not sharing any data of Indian users with the Chinese government. Also read: By Banning Its 59 Apps, India Hits China Where It Hurts The Most "The government of India has issued an interim order for the blocking of 59 apps, including TikTok and we are in the process of complying with it," Nikhil Gandhi, Head of TikTok India, said in a statement. The app, which is operated by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, allows users to create short videos and overlay voices or music.  Tik Tok said that it places the highest importance on user privacy and integrity. "TikTok continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and has not shared any information of our users in India with any foreign government, including the Chinese Government," Gandhi said. Gandhi mentioned the company has been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications. TikTok has created a rage among social media users by making the app available in 14 Indian languages. Gandhi said hundreds of millions of users, artists, story-tellers, educators and performers depending on it for their livelihood, many of whom are first-time internet users. PIC/AFP TikTok, Helo, both of which are owned by China's Bytedance, which commands a user base of over 300 million Indians.  TikTok commands the maximum user base with more than 200 million users in India, according to the business daily Mint.  The app has surpassed two billion downloads in April and gained a huge market in India, as per data analytics firm Sensor Tower data. Around 30 per cent of downloads came from India. Meanwhile, Apple and Google seem proactive to the government’s ban of 59 Chinese apps. Both apps TikTok and Helo have disappeared from the App Store and Google Play. However, both companies are yet to officially respond to the move.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Monday issued a list of 59 including TikTok, WeChat, UC Browser and Xiaomi's Mi Community. The app ban order comes due to national security concerns amid the India-China strained relationship after the death of 20 Indian soldiers in the Galwan Valley clash with Chinese PLA troops in eastern Ladakh. The ministry has invoked its power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act to put a ban on these apps and termed their usage ‘prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order’. These measures have been undertaken since there is credible information that these apps are engaged in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order," said a MeitY statement. The ministry received complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users' data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India. The MeitY said the move will safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile users. Other Chinese apps in the banned list are Club Factory, SHAREit, Likee, Mi Video Call (Xiaomi), Weibo, Baidu, Bigo Live and others.