The Indian government has banned 14 mobile apps, including popular messaging and chat applications such as IMO, Element, and Threema, as well as file-sharing and storage apps such as Mediafire. This move comes after intelligence agencies reported that these apps were being used by terrorists in Kashmir to communicate with their supporters and spread terror propaganda. The ban also includes apps that offer end-to-end encryption, such as Enigma, Wickrme, and Crypviser, which are popular among privacy advocates.

The ban on these apps brings the total number of banned apps to 288, with previous bans targeting apps with connections to China that the government deemed prejudicial to India’s sovereignty and integrity. The government had previously banned 59 mobile apps in June 2020, 118 apps including PUBG Mobile in September 2020, 43 apps including AliExpress in November 2020, and 54 apps including Tencent-backed Garena’s Free Fire in February 2022.

The ban was made under Section 69A of the country’s IT law, which empowers the government to block access to any information that is considered a threat to national security. The apps that were banned on May 1st do not have representatives in India, making it difficult to track down activities happening on the app.

Google and Apple have been notified to remove these apps from their app stores, and the ban is expected to be enforced soon. The Indian government’s ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and preserve national security involve regulating the use of mobile apps and other digital technologies.

Here is the list of 14 banned Mobile Apps:

Crypviser
Enigma
Safeswiss
Wickrme
Mediafire
Briar
BChat
Nandbox
Conion
IMO
Element
Second line
Zangi
Threema

The Indian government had previously banned 59 mobile apps in June 2020, 118 apps including PUBG Mobile in September 2020, 43 apps including AliExpress in November 2020, and 54 apps including Tencent-backed Garena’s Free Fire in February 2022. These bans were also made under Section 69A of the IT law, with the government citing national security concerns and threats to public order.

Google and Apple have been notified to remove these banned apps from their app stores, and the ban is expected to be enforced soon. This is a part of the Indian government’s ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and preserve national security by regulating the use of mobile apps and other digital technologies.

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