India bans 14 messaging apps used for “spreading terror"

The Indian government banned a new batch of apps today. The list included 14 applications, 13 of them used solely for secure messaging and another that also supports storing photos, videos and conversations.

This time, the official reason for the ban is the apps were largely used in the Jammu and Kashmir union territory for spreading terror and propaganda.

The full list of newly banned 14 apps:

• Crypviser
• Enigma
• Safeswiss
• Wickrme
• Mediafire
• Briar
• BChat
• Nandbox
• Conion
• IMO
• Element
• Second line
• Zangi
• Threema

The apps were banned in compliance with Section 69A of India’s IT law. A government spokesperson said Overground workers (people who help militants with logistics, cash or shelter) and terrorists used the listed apps to communicate among themselves. The Indian agencies found the mobile applications do not have representatives in India, and tracking activities happening on the app is difficult.

The apps are still on Google Play and the App Store at the time of writing this article, but they are likely to be delisted by developers in the following days. The ban cannot prevent users that have already downloaded the app to keep using them, but will clamp down on any future attempts to use them through official app stores.

Via