New Delhi: Intelligence agencies in India have red flagged about 52 China-linked mobile applications, including TikTok, UC browser, Xender and SHAREit, over concerns related to safety and privacy of users, according to a media report. The government needs to either block access to these mobile applications or advise people to stop their use, the intel inputs stated.
The report comes amid growing chorus from Indian activists to boycott Chinese products due to the border tensions between the two countries in Ladakh. Twenty Indian Army soldiers were martyred Monday night during violent clashes at the Ladakh border between the two sides.
The recommendations of the intel agencies have backing of the National Security Council Secretariat which determined that certain China-linked applications could be detrimental to the country’s security, said the report citing an unnamed government official.
The apps which came under the radar of the Indian agencies include TikTok, Vault-Hide, Vigo Video, Weibo, WeChat, SHAREit, UC News, UC Browser, BeautyPlus, Helo, LIKE, Kwai, ROMWE, SHEIN, NewsDog, Photo Wonder, APUS Browser, VivaVideo- QU Video Inc, Perfect Corp, CM Browser, and Virus Cleaner (Hi Security Lab).
Also in the list of Chinese apps is Mi Community, DU recorder, YouCam Makeup, Mi Store, 360 Security, DU Battery Saver, DU Browser, DU Cleaner, DU Privacy, Clean Master — Cheetah, CacheClear DU apps studio, Baidu Translate, Baidu Map, Wonder Camera, ES File Explorer, QQ International, QQ Launcher, QQ Security Centre, QQ Player, QQ Music, QQ Mail, QQ NewsFeed, WeSync, SelfieCity, Clash of Kings, Mail Master, Mi Video call-Xiaomi, and Parallel Space, among others.
Discussions on the recommendations are currently ongoing as the evaluation of security risk requires examination of each app, said the report.