We have been updated by Snapchat that they are not banned, possibly because they agreed to comply with MHA Rules.
Govt bans messaging apps said to be leveraged by Pakistan-linked terrorists
The Government of India has banned 14 applications from marketplaces like Google Play and the App Store in Jammu and Kashmir, following recommendations by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Most of the other apps are communication platforms that allow encrypted messaging, which the government said had been used by terror organizations in the region, said officials.
According to security and intelligence agencies, these messaging apps were used by jehadi outfits to communicate with their cadres, supporters, and overground workers. The banned applications include:
- Crypviser
- Enigma
- Safeswiss
- Wickrme
- Mediafire
- Briar
- BChat
- Nandbox
- Conion
- IMO
- Element
- Second Line
- Zangi
- Threema
The official said these apps have been blocked under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, adding that these apps are detrimental to national security and not in accordance with the prescribed Indian laws.
Crypviser and BChat, which say on their websites that they use blockchain technology to encrypt messages sent by users. Wickr Me is also a messaging app owned by Amazon Web Services that will not be available after 2023. File sharing service Mediafire is also on the list — it is unclear if separate directions have been issued to block its web version.
Briar is a peer-to-peer messaging service that uses Bluetooth and other technologies to let users communicate even if they are not connected to the Internet. A similar app, Firefly, was used by protesters in Hong Kong during its pro-democracy protests. Nandbox, which is also reportedly blocked, is an app-building platform that says on its website that it allows users to build their own messaging app.
While platforms like WhatsApp use end-to-end encryption for the content of messages, the Meta-owned platform provides so-called metadata, such as a user’s phone book and call history upon request from law enforcement authorities in response to legal requests.
The security forces deployed in the Union Territory said that these applications were getting traction and downloaded in the PoK region which alerted the agencies, leading to surveillance being mounted on these apps. They also said that these apps were used to pass instructions to the modules and also used in executing terror incidents in the Valley.
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