The complete list of 52 apps linked to China that are under scrutiny

Around 52 apps have been listed for having links to China and have been deemed unsafe. Users have been advised to not use these apps and block them since these apps have raised concerns for being unsafe and extracting a large amount of data and sending it out of India, according to reports.

The long list of apps that have been shared includes video-calling app Zoom, TikTok, UC browser, SHAREit etc. The recommendation to block these apps come from intelligence agencies and has also been supported by top security authorities since they can be detrimental to the country’s security.

These 52 apps will all be examined one by one to check the risks attached to them, but till then, it has been advised that people refrain from using them.

Of the apps, this is not the first time Zoom has been pulled up or security concerns. The home ministry has issued an advisory on the video-calling app earlier this year as recommended by the Computer Emergency Response Team of India (CERT-in). Zoom has also been banned in Taiwan and the US has asked people to use other video-calling apps.

In fact, the Indian government has also announced that they are looking for an Indian alternative to Zoom and the developers who successfully create an app that works will be rewarded.

Besides Zoom, TikTok has also been pulled up for security concerns in the past.

Officials say that many apps, both on Android and iOS, that have been created by Chinese developers or have been launched by companies with Chinese links, can potentially be used as spyware.