The government says that since 2014, about 296 mobile apps have been blocked in the interests of the country’s sovereignty, security and public order. Union Minister Sanjay Dhotre informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. In a written reply, the Minister of State for Electronics and IT said, “Under Section 69A of the IT Act 2000 and its rules … In the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the state’s security and public order, the government has blocked a total of 296 mobile applications from 2014.

“The Minister has received numerous reports on the misuse of some Chinese mobile apps available on the Android and iOS platforms – the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the agency that requests to block these applications under Section 69A of the IT Act.” “Given the national security and the current tense border situation, this could have serious consequences,” he said.

Using these apps, a large number of people in India can compile and analyze vast amounts of data, an outline of factors that are detrimental to India’s sovereignty and integrity, and may be with national security. India’s security and public order are detrimental to the public interest.

The minister said in a separate reply that with the increasing number of Internet users, mobile applications and newly developed technology, the collection of personal data of such apps and websites is also increasing. The government has already introduced the Personal Data Protection Bill, 2019 in Parliament and it is currently under consideration by the Joint Parliamentary Committee constituted by the Lok Sabha.

Dhotre said the bill would protect the privacy and interests of Indian citizens. Social media platforms including WhatsApp and Facebook are stakeholders defined in the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000.