Credit: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/mar/17/tiktok-tried-to-filter-out-videos-from-ugly-poor-or-disabled-users
It looks like TikTok has finally complied with the ban announced by the government in India as Android Police reports that its servers are now down. Usually, people would find their way around a band app, but even VPN seems not to be doing the trick—at least not for everyone.
The inability of users to access the app’s servers may not be unconnected with the company’s official statement via its Twitter page today. In the statement, the company said it plans to comply with the ban issued by the Indian government, while denying any wrongdoing.
“The Government of India has issued an interim order for the blocking of 59 apps, including TikTok and we are in the process of complying with it. We have been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications.”
To further assure its host government of plans to comply with the order, the TikTok app has been removed from the Play Store and the Apple App Store in India. For those who already have the app installed, attempt to login in will be met with a notice and a blank slate with no posts or videos.
Credit: https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/06/30/tiktok-servers-go-down-in-india-after-government-ban/
On Monday, India announced that TikTok and 58 other apps will no longer be allowed to work in the country. The country announced this in a press release; a move unprecedented in the history of what now looks like a cold war between India and China.
In the press release, India’s Ministry of Information Technology said the apps “are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”
TikTok is used by over 200 million people in India, and could be the biggest loser in this latest move by the India government. TechCrunch, however, reports that all 59 banned apps are still available for download in the country on both Google Play and the Apple App Store.
Earlier in the year, TikTok suffered a major blow when the Transportation Security Administration told its employees to stop using the app. This came weeks after the army banned the use of TikTok on government owned phones. TSA told users to stop using the Chinese-owned app to create social media posts for the agency.
Considering the popularity of the app among teens in the US, the government launched a national security review. This prompted New York Senator Chuck Schumer to send a letter to TSA Administrator David Pekoske over the weekend.
In a statement per CBS News, the TSA said “small number of TSA employees have previously used TikTok on their personal devices to create videos for use in TSA’s social media outreach, but that practice has since been discontinued.”
