India bans PUBG, 117 other mobile apps: All you need to know | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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India bans PUBG, 117 other mobile apps: All you need to know

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | Byhindustantimes.com | Edited by Karan
Sep 02, 2020 09:52 PM IST

Today’s move follows an earlier ban announced on 59 and 47 mobile apps in June and July respectively.

In its third such move, the government on Wednesday banned 118 more mobile apps, including the massively-popular game PUBG, over information that these were being used for activities ‘prejudicial to the sovereignty of India, defence of India and security of state and public order’.

PUBG, which stands for Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, is an online multi-player game developed and published by PUBG Corporation, which is a subsidiary of South Korean video game company Bluehole.(PUBG screenshot)
PUBG, which stands for Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, is an online multi-player game developed and published by PUBG Corporation, which is a subsidiary of South Korean video game company Bluehole.(PUBG screenshot)

Today’s move follows an earlier ban announced on 59 and 47 mobile apps in June and July respectively.

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Here’s all you need to know about the Centre’s ban on these 118 apps:

(1.) The Ministry of Information and Technology invoked its powers under Section 69 A of the IT Act, with relevant provisions of the IT Rules 2009 to ban the apps, adding that it had received complaints from various sources with regard to the misuse of the apps.

(2.) The ministry in its order further said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these ‘malicious’ apps. It further said that there are also concerns raised by public representatives, as well as a strong public demand to act against the apps.

(3.) PUBG, which stands for Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds, is an online multi-player game developed and published by PUBG Corporation, which is a subsidiary of South Korean video game company Bluehole.

(4.) It is massively popular in India, where it has over 50 million (5 crore) downloads and 33 million (3.3 crore) active users.

Also read: PUBG loses battle for India, among 118 Chinese mobile apps banned by Centre

(5.) The move comes in the backdrop of the ongoing India-China tensions in the mountainous area of Ladakh. The two countries have been engaged in a military standoff in the region since the first week of May.

(6.) On June 29, amid vociferous demand across India to take action against China in the wake of the June 15 clash in the Galwan Valley, in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action, the government announced a ban on 59 Chinese apps, including popular video-sharing app TikTok.

(7.) A month later, on July 28, the government banned 47 more apps, taking the total number of apps banned to 106. With today’s announcement, a total of 224 mobile apps have been banned since June.

(8.) In its order today, the government also called its decision a targeted move to ensure safety, security and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace. The move, it further said, will safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users.

(9.) The ban will apply on both mobile and non-mobile internet-enabled devices.

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