The popular Chinese short-video app, TikTok is finally facing a total ban in India. After the Supreme Court refused to stay an early order to ban the app on Monday, now Government asked Google and Apple to remove the TikTok app from their respective app stores.
TikTok, owned by Chinese company ByteDance has received several complaints about the inappropriate content available on its platform. The issue received limelight when Madras High Court claimed that the TikTok app is harming the foundation, cultures and values of the nation.
TikTok is facing full ban across India
A bench of experienced members headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi posted this serious issue for hearing on 22nd April, as the Madras High Court is expected to hear the case on April 16. The HC even restricted the media companies from telecasting videos created using the TikTok application.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordered both the tech giants with a hope to stop the further downloading of the application. However, as per the reports, people, who have already installed it will be able to continue using the Tiktok app.
“The High Court asked the government to prohibit download of TikTok application. It (MeitY) is ensuring that by asking Google and Apple to delete it from the app stores. Now it is up to the companies to do it or appeal the order,” the source added.
On the other hand, in a petition to SC last week, Byte said they cannot be held responsible for the third-party actions on the platform. TikTok is just like other social media platforms.
Their senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared on Monday and urged for a stay against the ban. He said the ban would cause incurable damage the company, ByteDance. Manu earlier appealed to the apex court against the High Court decision.
We Believe in Indian Judicial system: Tiktok
“At Tik-Tok, we have faith in the Indian Judicial system and the stipulations afforded to social media platforms by the Information Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules, 2011,” Tiktok said in an emailed statement. The ‘disproportionate’ ban has appeared as an infringement of the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression, they also added.
The Information Technology Act’s guidelines provide legal safeguards in for third-party content shared through TikTok app. The company informed that they had removed over 6 million videos, the last week, that violated their community guidelines.
Tiktok said that they are also reviewing the content generated by its users in India.“We are committed to continuously enhancing our existing measures and introducing additional technical and moderation processes as part of our ongoing commitment to our users in India,” ByteDance added.
Tiktok is one of the most popular entertainment apps and also the third most installed app during the first quarter of 2019. But the app was accused of promoting pornography among youngsters through the easily accessible platform.
