The Army Has Asked Personnel to Delete 89 Apps Including Facebook, Tiktok

The Indian Army desires its personnel to delete 89 apps, starting from Tiktok, Facebook, Truecaller, and Instagram, to video games like PUBG Mobile, and datings apps like Tinder, in addition to information apps like Daily Hunt and all ‘non-public blogs’, in line with stories. According to the stories, the military desires personnel to delete these apps to plug the leakage of knowledge. The inclusion of classes like courting apps means that the military is not simply frightened about cyber snooping, but additionally actual world snooping. There is a big overlap with the record of 59 Chinese apps banned by the federal government, however this record is even bigger, and is not restricted to solely apps from China.

A tweet from information company ANI features a {photograph} of a web page with the record of the apps, and the title, ‘Social Media Apps: Banned for Usage’. It quotes Army sources to say that the ban is to plug leakage of knowledge. Another report, from IndiaTV News added that the military has set a deadline of July 15 to delete these apps, or else face motion. Before this, the Army allowed its personnel to make use of Facebook however with restrictions like not posting photos in uniform or disclosing the placement of their models, in line with a report by Times of India.

Indian Army has requested its personnel to delete 89 apps from their smartphones together with Facebook, TikTok, Truecaller and Instagram to plug leakage of knowledge: Indian Army Sources pic.twitter.com/l23Lu5ndNh

— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2020

These embody among the hottest apps in India, akin to Facebook and Instagram, Tinder and PUBG, and in addition embody some broad classes akin to “all Tencent gaming apps,” and “Private blogs”, other than Chinese apps that have already been banned by the federal government akin to TikTok, SHAREit, and UC Browser. The headline of the record additionally says apps banned so it is unclear whether or not the web sites of platforms like Facebook or Reddit are additionally banned — they will simply be accessed from cellular browsers as a substitute of the app, in spite of everything.

The ban is clearly associated to the tensions which are happening between India and China, however in contrast to the federal government record, this ban will solely apply to military personnel. This is not the primary time that the military has ordered the same ban both. Earlier this yr, the military gave a warning to officers utilizing Facebook and WhatsApp, in line with a Gadgets Now report. The order additionally requested them to not carry smartphones into bases and dockyards in addition to on board warships, and directed the “ban on use of Facebook by all naval personnel and ban on use of smartphones within naval bases / establishments / dockyards / onboard warships.”

Around the identical time, the US military additionally banned soldiers from using TikTok. “It is considered a cyber threat,” Lt Col Robin Ochoa, a US Army spokesperson advised US-based information portal Military.com. “We do not allow it on government phones.” 

You can see the total record of 89 apps banned by the Indian Army under:

Messaging Platforms

• WeChat
• QQ
• Kik
• ooVoo
• Nimbuzz
• Helo
• Qzone
• Share Chat
• Viber
• Line
• IMO
• Snow
• To Tok
• Hike

Video Hosting

• TikTok
• Likee
• Samosa
• Kwali

Content Sharing

Web Browsers

• UC Browser
• UC Browser Mini

Video and Live Streaming

• LiveMe
• BigoLive
• Zoom
• Fast Films
• Vmate
• Uplive
• Vigo Video

Utility Apps

• Cam Scanner
• Beauty Plus
• Truecaller

Gaming Apps

• PUBG
• NONO Live
• Clash of Kings
• All Tencent gaming apps
• Mobile Legends

E-Commerce

• Club Factory
• AliExpress
• Chinabrands
• Gearbest
• Banggood
• MiniInTheField
• Tiny Deal
• Dhhgate
• LightinTheField
• DX
• Eric Dress
• Zaful
• Tbdress
• Modility
• Rosegal
• Shein
• Romwe

Dating Apps

• Tinder
• TrulyMadly
• Happn
• Aisle
• Coffee Meets Bagel
• Woo
• OkCupid
• Hinge
• Badoo
• Azar
• Bumble
• Tantan
• Elite Sinles
• Tagged
• Couch Surfing

Antivirus

Networking

• Facebook
• Baidu
• Instagram
• Ello
• Snapchat

News Apps

Online Book Reading Apps

Health Apps

Lifestyle Apps

Knowledge Apps

Music Apps

Blogging/ Micro Blogging

• Yelp
• Tumblr
• Reddit
• FriendsFeed
• Private Blogs

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