Centre Used It Act Powers to Block Apps - Defence News
Centre had information that the app companies are engaged in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India and public order.
Editorial Staff
Centre Used It Act Powers to Block Apps - Defence News
The central government has banned 59 mainly Chinese mobile applications such as Tik-Tok and WeChat, invoking its powers under section 69A of the Information Technology Act of 2000 and provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules of 2009 to block the apps.
This step was taken, according to the government statement, because the Centre had information that the app companies are engaged in activities prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state and public order.
The ban has raised a slew of legal questions.
Section 69A of the IT Act provides for the central government to issue directions for blocking public access to any information through any computer resource. This is the provision that has been relied on by government agencies in the past to take down online content.
The section also sets out the grounds on which such a step can be taken - - in the interest o…
