Social media has become an integral part of people’s lives in the 21st century. It has transformed the way people communicate and share information online. However, concerns around the spread of misinformation, data privacy, national security etc. have led some countries including India to ban certain social media platforms. Here is an overview of the major social media apps and websites that are blocked or banned in India currently.
TikTok
TikTok is one of the most popular short video sharing apps globally. However, it has been banned in India multiple times due to various reasons. Here are some key points about TikTok ban in India:
- TikTok is owned by Chinese company ByteDance.
- It was first banned in India in April 2019 over concerns about inappropriate content being shared on the platform.
- The ban was lifted after about a week when TikTok removed a huge amount of objectionable content.
- TikTok was banned again in June 2020 along with 58 other Chinese apps amid border tensions between India and China.
- The Indian government stated concerns around data privacy and national security as reasons behind the ban.
- As of October 2022, the ban on TikTok still remains in effect in India.
TikTok had over 200 million monthly active users in India before getting banned. It was one of the most downloaded apps in the country. The ban has dealt a big blow to the platform’s growth ambitions in one of its largest markets globally.
PUBG Mobile
PUBG Mobile is a popular multiplayer online battle royale game owned by Chinese company Tencent. Here is a quick summary of its ban in India:
- The game was banned in India in September 2020 along with 117 other China-linked mobile apps.
- The government cited national security concerns and user data privacy issues as the reason behind the ban.
- PUBG Mobile had over 50 million monthly active users in India before the ban.
- The game has remained blocked in the country since then.
PUBG Corporation has tried to circumvent the ban by launching special Indian versions of the game called PUBG Mobile India and Battlegrounds Mobile India. However, they remain banned too.
WeChat is a popular Chinese messaging, social media and mobile payment app owned by Tencent. Here is a summary of its status in India:
- WeChat was banned in India in June 2020 along with other major Chinese apps.
- The Indian government cited national security concerns behind the ban.
- WeChat had a relatively small userbase in India compared to other major social media apps.
- The app continues to be inaccessible in India since the ban came into effect.
WeChat is aimed primarily at Chinese speaking users. It did not gain mainstream adoption in India due to the language barrier and stiff competition from popular chat apps like WhatsApp.
Bigo Live
Bigo Live is a Singapore based video streaming and live broadcasting app with a sizable userbase in India. Let’s look at key facts about its ban:
- Bigo Live was banned as part of the Indian government’s move to block Chinese apps in June 2020.
- Prior to the ban, it had around 5 million monthly active users in India.
- The app was known for streaming live broadcasts of people singing, dancing, chatting, etc.
- It still remains inaccessible in India due to the ban.
Bigo Live managed to gain some popularity in India before getting banned thanks to features like virtual gifting during live streams. But the ban has put an abrupt end to its India growth strategy.
Weibo is a Chinese microblogging website, similar to Twitter. Here are some key points about its status in India:
- Weibo was banned along with over 50 other Chinese apps in June 2020.
- It had a very limited userbase in India.
- Weibo gained traction in China due to Twitter being banned there. But it could not compete with Twitter’s strong userbase in India.
- The website continues to be blocked and inaccessible to users in India.
Weibo never really managed to take off in the Indian market. The ban has not had any significant impact given its limited use in the country beforehand.
SHAREit
SHAREit is a popular Chinese file sharing and content streaming app. Let’s look at some facts around its ban in India:
- SHAREit was among the first set of Chinese apps to be banned in India in June 2020.
- It had amassed over 500 million users in India prior to the ban.
- SHAREit allowed fast cross-platform file transfers between mobiles and PCs.
- The app provided a way to share content like music, videos, document files, etc. without using mobile data.
- It still remains blocked for use in India due to security concerns.
SHAREit was one of the most popular file sharing apps in India before getting banned. Its ban has opened up opportunities for other file sharing apps to grow their userbase in India.
Helo
Helo is a social media app owned by Chinese company ByteDance. Let’s look at some key facts regarding its ban:
- Helo got banned in India as part of the 59 apps blocked in June 2020.
- It was an Indian social media app with support for 14 regional languages.
- Helo allowed sharing of content like short videos, jokes, trending news, wishes, etc.
- It had over 50 million monthly active users in India before the ban.
- The app remains blocked for Indian users since then.
Helo gained decent traction in India by providing content creation and sharing features in local languages. But the ban has put an end to its growth in one of its largest markets.
Likee
Let’s look at some key facts related to ban of the short video app Likee in India:
- Likee is owned by Chinese company BIGO Technology.
- It was part of the list of 59 apps that got banned in June 2020.
- Prior to its ban, Likee had amassed over 75 million monthly active users in India.
- The app allowed users to create and share short videos with special effects.
- It continues to remain blocked for use in India due to security concerns.
Likee gained popularity in India owing to the short video format being in trend. But the ban abruptly brought an end to its thriving userbase and growth in the Indian market.
CamScanner
Let’s look at some key facts related to the ban on CamScanner app used for scanning documents:
- CamScanner is owned by Chinese technology company INTSIG.
- It was banned in September 2020 along with over 100 other China-linked apps.
- CamScanner allowed easy scanning and managing of documents using a smartphone camera.
- It had over 100 million users in India before getting banned.
- The app continues to remain blocked in India on Google Play Store and iOS App Store.
CamScanner was one of the most popular productivity apps in India before getting banned. Its ban has led to increased adoption of other scanner apps like Microsoft Lens, Adobe Scan, etc. by Indian users.
VivaVideo
Let’s look at some key facts related to the ban on short video making app VivaVideo in India:
- VivaVideo is developed by Chinese tech company QuVideo.
- The app was banned along with 118 other mobile apps in September 2020.
- VivaVideo allowed easy editing and sharing of short videos.
- It had around 50 million downloads in India before the ban.
- The app continues to be blocked and unavailable for download in India.
VivaVideo gained popularity in India owing to the rise of short video apps like TikTok. But its growth got halted due to the ban imposed by the government citing data security concerns.
Xender
Let’s look at some key facts related to the file transfer app Xender and its ban in India:
- Xender is developed by Chinese technology company AnMobi.
- It was banned as part of the broader bans on Chinese apps in June 2020.
- Xender allowed fast sharing of files, photos, videos between devices without using internet.
- Prior to the ban, it had been downloaded over 100 million times on Google Play Store.
- The app remains unavailable for download in India due to the ban.
Xender was gaining popularity as a file sharing app before being banned in India. The ban has provided an opportunity for other local file sharing apps to capture Xender’s market share.
Conclusion
The Indian government has banned over 200 China linked apps since 2020 citing concerns around data privacy, national security and sovereignty. Some of the major social media apps that remain blocked in India include TikTok, PUBG Mobile, Helo, Likee, WeChat, CamScanner, SHAREit and Bigo Live. The bans have halted operations of these hugely popular apps that had managed to amass millions of users in India. At the same time, the ban has also provided opportunities for homegrown apps to flourish and capture market share.