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By forcing internet providers to block Chinese apps, India takes a page out of China’s playbook
- China has long banned foreign apps and websites, arguing that it has a right to “cyber sovereignty”
- India’s ban on 59 Chinese apps has China’s tech giants facing restrictions similar to those on international competitors back home
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The endless stream of videos in one of the world’s most popular apps came to an abrupt halt in India this week. TikTok was among 59 apps that the Indian government blocked on Monday on national security grounds following a deadly clash between troops along the Indian-Chinese border.
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The new ban goes further than simply removing the Chinese apps from local app stores. Authorities have also ordered internet service providers (ISPs) to bar access to these apps, which includes big names like WeChat, Clash of Kings and Kwai. That means even users who already have the apps installed will still be locked out.
It’s a move that could have been taken right out of China’s playbook.
China has long defended its use of what’s been dubbed the Great Firewall to block foreign websites and apps, citing its rights to preserve “cyber sovereignty.” Facebook, Google and Twitter are all missing on China’s internet. Now it appears that the country is getting a taste of its own medicine.
“China has, along with Russia, been the most active proponent of cyber sovereignty for a long time, which is a big part of the reason it has a completely different digital ecosystem than the West,” said Lars Gjesvik, research fellow at the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs who focuses mainly on cybersecurity.
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