It was India that first banned Chinese app TikTok over security concerns

It Was India That First Banned Chinese App TikTok Over Security Concerns

by Manisha Das

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

As the US House of Representatives passed legislation that could lead to a ban on TikTok that is being used by over 170 million Americans, it was the Indian government which first took the decision to block the Chinese short-video making platform in the world.

New Delhi, March 14: As the US House of Representatives passed legislation that could lead to a ban on TikTok that is being used by over 170 million Americans, it was the Indian government which first took the decision to block the Chinese short-video making platform in the world.

On June 29, 2020, TikTok, controlled by Chinese giant ByteDance, was banned in India.

The country then was one of the largest markets for the social media platform outside of China.

The government blocked TikTok along with 59 other Chinese apps citing security concerns. Since then, the country has banned more than 300 Chinese apps, including WeChat, Shareit, Helo, Likee, and others. The government has also blocked several betting and loan apps in the last few years, which were traced to Chinese links.

All these apps were found violating Section 69 of the IT Act and contained materials which were deemed as a threat to India's sovereignty and integrity.

After the ban, TikTok sacked its entire India staff -- about 40 employees.

In 2020, the Indian Army also asked its personnel to delete 89 mobile apps, that included several Chinese apps, from their smartphones to curtail leakage of information.

TikTok is considered a security threat because of its links to the Chinese government and lawmakers and officials have said that Beijing can access data on people through the app.

TikTok has argued that the data on Americans is stored in the US.

In November last year, Nepal announced a ban on TikTok , saying that its content “were detrimental to social harmony”.

Meanwhile, India now has reached more than 250 million users on short-form video platforms, with around 70 per cent of them coming from tier-2 cities and other semi urban and rural centres — often from middle and high-income backgrounds, according to latest reports.

(IANS)

IPL 2024: Rasikh And Mukesh Pick Three-Fers As Delhi Capitals Beat Mumbai Indians By 10 Runs

by Hemanta Pande

New Delhi, Apr 27: Fast-bowlers Rasikh Salam and Mukesh Kumar picked three-fers each as Delhi Capitals secured a 10-run victory over Mumbai Indians to get their fifth win of IPL 2024 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium here on Saturday.

In what was another run-fest at the venue, opener Jake Fraser-McGurk continued his good showing by slamming a sensational 84, including getting fifty in just 15 balls, while Tristan Stubbs smashed an unbeaten 48 to carry DC to a mammoth 257/4.

In reply, Rasikh’s 3-34 and Mukesh’s 3-54, along with Khaleel Ahmed’s 2-45 kept Mumbai to 247/9, despite Tilak Varma’s 63, Hardik Pandya’s 46 and Tim David’s 37 giving them hope of chasing down the target.

With this win, DC jumped ahead of defending champions Chennai Super Kings to now be in fifth place in the points table with 10 points from as many games.

Chasing 258, Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma hit five boundaries between themselves – four of them hit by the former. Khaleel took out a scratchy Rohit when he got him to slice to mid-off. Ishan soon went back to the pavilion after miscuing a loft to mid-off against Mukesh.

Impact player Suryakumar Yadav looked dangerous when he brought out his wristy flick, glance, cut, one-handed loft and slice to make a 13-ball 26, before lobbing a catch to cover off a slower off-cutter from Khaleel as MI ended the Power-play at 65/3, marking it the third time they lost three wickets in the six-over phase of IPL 2024.

Hardik kept MI in the hunt by hitting Kuldeep Yadav for three fours and a six to collect 19 runs off the ninth over before Tilak lofted and reverse-swept Axar Patel for six and four respectively in the tenth over. Hardik pulled and sliced Mukesh for six and four respectively, before miscuing a slog to mid-wicket off a slower ball from impact player Rasikh.

Two balls later, Rasikh took out Nehal Wadhera, who nicked behind to Pant. Tilak was at his proactive best in taking 21 runs off Kuldeep in the 15th over – pulling and lofting for a brace of sixes, before heaving and reverse-sweeping for two fours. Tilak reached his fifty in 25 balls by heaving Lizaad Williams over fine leg for four.

With 64 runs needed from the last three overs, David dispatched Mukesh for two sixes over long-on fence and a pulled four. Pant came up to the stumps and it worked as Mukesh had David trapped plumb lbw. But Tilak ended the 23-run over by glancing a Mukesh full toss over backward square leg for six.

The equation came down to 41 runs off the last 12 balls, and Rasikh struck by having Mohammad Nabi hole out to long-on in a 16-run 19th over. Tilak’s run-out on the first ball of the final over and Chawla holing out to long-on the last ball ensured DC got their second straight win in Delhi.

Brief scores:

Delhi Capitals 257/4 in 20 overs (Jake-Fraser McGurk 84, Tristan Stubbs 48 not out; Mohammad Nabi 1-20, Jasprit Bumrah 1-35) beat Mumbai Indians 247/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 63, Hardik Pandya 46; Rasikh Salam 3-34, Mukesh Kumar 3-59) by 10 runs. (IANS)

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Financial services firm Northern Arc secured the highest amount of funding of $80 million.

This was followed by network-as-a-service provider CloudExtel, trucking aggregator for enterprises LetsTransport, online marketplace for financial products BankBazaar, provider of business, property, and school financing Clix Capital, agri-fintech platform Samunnati, and co-working space provider Smartworks which raised $24 million, $22 million, $9.6 million, $6 million, $5 million, and $4 million, respectively.

Moreover, 17 early-stage startups collectively secured $72.08 million in funding during this week.

Omni-channel fashion brand Lyskraft topped the list followed by space-tech startup Dhruva Space, real estate and infra decarbonisation platform Accacia, B2C credit management firm CheQ, and an open-source project management platform Plane.

The list also includes startups such as a provider of Solar EPC solutions Soleos Solar Energy, healthcare and insurtech firm FlashAid, elder care startup bubble tea and other food items platform Boba Bhai, sustainable container logistics and supply chain optimisation startup MatchLog, among others.(IANS)

Shocking! Man Tied To Pole, Beaten Severely For Quitting BJD In Bhadrak Village

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

Bhadrak, Apr 27: Even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik preaches for the addition of 'Ahmisa' to the Preamble of the Constitution, it seems that his party leaders and workers don't follow him and resort to hooliganism.

It is so understood from the fact that a man in Bhadrak district was attacked by BJD workers because he quit the party and joined the BJP a few days back. The incident has been reported from Salapur village of Gobindpur gram panchayat under Bhadrak district.

According to the information, Baidhar Majhi of Salapur had quit the BJD and later joined the BJP a few days back. Since then, BJD workers have been troubling him in many ways. Today, about 18 people gathered and tied him to a pole and beat him severely. When her wife Jharana Majhi came to her rescue, the attackers didn't spare her. They reportedly tore her saree in public.