TikTok was banned in India in 2020, together with a number of different purposes, following border tensions with China practically three years in the past. The app, which was fashionable amongst customers earlier than it was banned, continues to retain info on its customers from India who can now not entry the video sharing platform, in accordance with a report. TikTok is presently dealing with the potential for a ban within the US, the place the app has grown in recognition, over nationwide safety considerations. In the meantime, different international locations like Belgium, Denmark, New Zealand, the UK, and the EU have blocked using TikTok on authorities gadgets.
Based on a Forbes report based mostly on a evaluate of inner programmes of TikTok and father or mother agency ByteDance, the businesses have entry to the person knowledge of accounts from India, even after the app was banned in 2020. A TikTok worker additionally instructed the publication that the corporate has the power to establish customers’ connections and personally identifiable info, together with Indian customers’ profiles.
The ban on TikTok by the Ministry of Electronics and Data Know-how (MeitY) in 2020 led to Google and Apple eradicating TikTok from the Play Retailer and App Retailer, respectively. Whereas customers on Android can sideload the applying, the service blocked entry for customers with Indian IP addresses or when the SIM card of an Indian community supplier was detected. The ban on TikTok was made everlasting in 2021.
Nevertheless, as per the report, all the info that was beforehand shared by customers in India, together with their posts, social interactions with mates and acquaintances, and different particulars that had been accessible to TikTok, weren’t deleted after the service was banned within the nation. A TikTok spokesperson instructed Forbes that the corporate had “steadfastly complied, and proceed to stay in full compliance, with the Authorities of India order because it was carried out.”
TikTok reportedly had round 100 million customers in India when the app was banned within the nation. The service now faces the potential for a ban within the US, the place it not too long ago crossed the 150 million person mark. Nevertheless, the Forbes report highlights the problems with retention of historic knowledge, even after an app is banned in a rustic. Devices 360 has reached out to MeitY for remark and can replace this story after we obtain a response.