Twitter: @edd1819, Instagram: @bluestar0910, Facebook: SDN — Science, Digital & Current Affairs
By EDD K. USMAN
(SDN) — APPARENTLY still smarting from the deaths of its soldiers, India has brought its deadly border clash against China to cyberspace.
Remember that at least 20 soldiers of India died at the hands of Chinese border guards in Ladakh, Galwan Valley, up high in the Himalayas. China and India have two of the world’s largest army, and are both nuclear-armed. Ultra-dangerous combinations.
As reported on GizChina.com in a story penned by Efe Udin, India on June 29 banned 59 Chinese apps, including Tiktok, Helo, WeChat, three prominent apps.
The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEIT) issued a press release cited by various news networks.
MEIT mentioned about receiving complaints from various sources, alleging reports of misuse of some mobile apps for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers outside India.
It was also reported on Economic Times that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recommended the ban on the Chinese apps which have several millions of users in India.
MHA cited the apps as “a threat to sovereignty and security of our county.”
“The compilation of the data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defense of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures.
“There have been raging concerns on aspects relating to data security and safeguarding the privacy of 130 crore Indians. It has been noted recently that such concerns also pose a threat to sovereignty and security of our country,” the MHA said in the press release.
Here are the 59 banned Chinese apps, per GizChina:
1. TikTok
2. SHAREit
3. Kwai
4. UC Browser
5. Baidu Map
6. SHEIN
7. Clash of Kings
8. DU Battery saver
9. Helo
10. Likee
11. YouCam Makeup
12. Mi Community
13. CM Browser
14. Virus Cleaner
15. APUS Browser
16. ROMWE
17. Club Factory
18. NewsDog
19. BeautyPlus
20. WeChat
21. UC News
22. QQ Mail
23. Weibo
24. Xender
25. QQ Music
26. QQ Newsfeed
27. Bigo Live
28. SelfieCity
29. Mail Master
30. Parallel Space
31. Mi Video Call – Xiaomi
32. WeSync
33. ES File Explorer
34. Viva Video – QU Video Inc
35. Meitu
36. Vigo Video
37. New Video Status
38. DU Recorder
39. Vault
40. DU Cache Cleaner
41. DU Cleaner
42. DU Browser
43. HAGO – Play With New Friends
44. CamScanner
45. Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile
46. Wonder Camera
47. Photo Wonder
48. QQ Player
49. WeMeet
50. Sweet Selfie
51. Baidu Translate
52. Vmate
53. QQ International
54. QQ Security Center
55. QQ Launcher
56. UV Video
57. VFly-Status Videos, Status Maker, New Video Status
58. Mobile Legends
59. DU Privacy Vault
It was also stated in the statement that MHA’s Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center submitted an “exhaustive recommendations for blocking the malicious apps.”
Meanwhile, the tensions between India and China over their border disputes in the Galwan Valley have also taken to the air literally.
Each country have been flying drones to spy on one another’s troop movements and other activities. (SDN)