The state-owned public broadcaster said that it was moving to block 232 apps, some with links to China, that offer betting and loan services in the South Asian market because they posed a risk of misuse of the citizens’ data. The move is part of an increased effort by India to prevent misuse of its citizens’ data, which has been repeatedly abused by countries like China.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has released a statement indicating that they are in the process of banning 138 betting and gambling apps as well as 94 websites that offer unauthorized loan services in order to protect the integrity of the country. This emergency order comes after complaints were brought to their attention about competitors using illegal means to gain an edge over others.
The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs has banned the use of two popular phone applications in the country because they were allegedly using misleading methods to take on big debts without the customers being aware of the terms. There are fears that these apps could be used as tools for espionage and propaganda, so this move is welcome by many.
The government’s latest campaign against shark loan apps and other services that are posing a threat to the nation’s citizens is an important step in safeguarding against dangerous activities. These types of apps allow users to easily borrow money from sharks, which can lead to disaster if not used responsibly. By cracking down on these types of services, the government is helping ensure that people are using them safely and responsibly.
Pioneering digital lending firms have been forced to tighten their grip on customers as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issues tougher guidelines last year. The RBI has urged digital platforms to provide more transparency and control over borrowing behaviour, which has caused some firms to hire agents to monitor borrowers in real-time.
The new rules are meant to protect consumers from unfair credit practices and ensure they are made aware of the costs associated with borrowing. Digital lending apps, such as those that offer short-term loans, are now required to take prior explicit consent from customers before collecting any data. This ensures that borrowers understand the right and wrong ways to use their credit and eliminates the chance that lenders will increase a customer’s credit limit without their knowledge or consent.
The Indian government has been increasingly blocking Chinese-made apps due to the increased geopolitical tensions between the two countries. India has also been protecting its sovereignty and integrity by blocking over 300 apps with links to China in recent years.
App development in India has seen a recent boom as developers and companies seek to capitalize on the country’s population of over 1.3 billion people and growing smartphone market. However, this trend has met with scrutiny from neighboring countries who believe that Indian app developers are allegedly cloning popular Android and iOS apps without proper attribution or compensation. New Delhi has never specifically said that it’s
Brendan Carr praised India’s blocking of TikTok and other apps last month, saying the country set an “incredibly important precedent” by banning the ByteDance app. He added that he believes other countries will likely follow suit, opening up avenues for greater regulation of social media platforms.
TikTok is a popular social media app that consists primarily of short videos filmed and edited by users on their mobile phones. In his speech, Carr warned that the app “operates as a sophisticated surveillance tool” and found that banning the app was a “natural next step in our efforts to secure communication network.” The concern is that China could use sensitive and non-public data gleaned from TikTok for blackmail, espionage, foreign influence campaigns and surveillance.
In order to combat the spread of nefarious apps, experts urge governments around the world to emulate India’s example and invest more in deranking these types of applications. This will go a long way in preventing them from becoming rampant across various devices.
