INDIAN GOVT BLOCKED 14 APPS IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR WHICH ARE ALLEGED TO BE USED A MEDIUM TO SPREAD TERRORISM

The Central government has blocked 14 messaging apps in Jammu and Kashmir after it was reported by Intelligence Agency that these apps were used as a medium to spread terrorism.

It was also reported that these apps were used to receive from Pakistan.

    These apps include Crypviser, Enigma, Safeswiss, Wickrme, Mediafire, Briar, BChat, Nandbox, Conion, IMO, Element, Second line, Zangi, Threema among others.

   According to top sources, the step was taken after multiple agencies found that these apps were being used by terrorists in Kashmir to communicate with their supporters and on-ground workers (OGW). The government found that these apps did not have representatives in India and they could not be contacted for seeking information as mandated by Indian laws. Agencies tried contacting the app management on various occasions, but there was no office to contact in India.

Sources further said, according to a report, most of these apps were designed to provide anonymity to the users, and their features made it tough to resolve entities associated with them. The ministry of home affairs through different agencies had found that these mobile apps aided terrorists and their affiliates to engage in activities, they added.

   The crackdown on mobile applications threatening the country's security is not new, as the government has banned several Chinese apps in the past.

In the last few years, the government of India has imposed bans on around 250 Chinese apps citing them to be “prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state and public order”.

Since June 2020, the government has banned over 200 Chinese apps, including popular applications like TikTok, Shareit, WeChat, Helo, Likee, UC News, Bigo Live, UC Browser, Xender, Camscanner, popular mobile games like PUBG Mobile and Garena Free Fire.