Further cracking down on the digital industry, MeitY (The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has recently directed the blocking of 119 apps, primarily video and voice chat platforms, associated with developers from China and Hong Kong. However, as of February 20, only 15 of these apps have been successfully blocked in India, according to a report by Moneycontrol. The rest, including some apps from Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, remain available for download.
The blocking action was taken under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which empowers the Indian government to restrict access to online content in the interests of national security, sovereignty, or public order. In previous instances, Section 69A has often been invoked to target Chinese apps, particularly during periods of heightened geopolitical tension between India and China. The disclosure of the MeitY’s blocking order surfaced through Google’s recent update on the Lumen Database, a platform that monitors content removal requests. This update was first published on February 18, but was later removed.
While 15 apps have been blocked, there has been no clear explanation as to why the remaining apps have not been fully implemented yet. Government officials have declined to comment, as per Moneycontrol, citing confidentiality regarding orders issued under Section 69A.
In response to the blocking order, several developers of affected apps have expressed concerns about the impact on their businesses, Moneycontrol reported. For example, ChillChat, a video chat platform based in Singapore with over 1 million downloads, has been notified of the potential ban. A spokesperson from ChillChat, operated by Mangostar Team, told media that a blocking order would severely disrupt service and affect millions of users in India. They emphasised the importance of communication and gaming on their platform, and expressed a desire for clarity from MeitY to resolve any compliance issues.
Similarly, Blom, the developer behind the China-based app ChangApp, also received a blocking notice. They raised concerns over how the order could harm user experience and long-term business prospects in India. Meanwhile, HoneyCam, an app operated by the Australian company Shellin PTY Ltd., reassured its commitment to complying with Indian regulations, adding that it is ready to cooperate with the government to address compliance concerns.