The Information and Technology Ministry on Wednesday banned the hugely popular gaming app PUBG Mobile and 117 other mobile applications.
According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the mobile game has been banned under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, on grounds that “they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”.
PUBG MOBILE Nordic Map: Livik, PUBG MOBILE LITE, WeChat Work & WeChat reading are among the 118 banned mobile apps.
The ministry, as per reports, said it had received many complaints from various sources including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India.
The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures.
In July, the government had banned 47 apps, which were clones or variants of Chinese-linked 59 apps earlier banned in June.
