ITV

Tag: Chinese Apps

  • Bombay HC grants no relief to ByteDance in tax evasion case

    Bombay HC grants no relief to ByteDance in tax evasion case

    KOLKATA: TikTok’s parent company ByteDance continues to remain in limbo as Bombay high court granted no relief in the case where the company challenged Indian authorities’ decision to freeze the its bank accounts.

    According to a Reuters report, the court heard the plea on Wednesday. Despite ByteDance counsel Prakash Shah submitting that the company was bleeding and needed to withdraw funds for operational expenditures like staff salaries and rent, the court gave no relief.

    Shah also added that four of the company’s bank accounts have been frozen. The next hearing in the matter is set for 6 April.

    According to media reports, In mid-March, authorities ordered ByteDance India's accounts at Citibank and HSBC to be blocked because of alleged evasion of certain taxes in online advertising dealings between the ByteDance unit in India and its parent entity in Singapore, TikTok Pvt Ltd. The Chinese tech company moved to court asking to quash the directive as it fears that the move will hit Indian operations hard.

    In January 2021, ByteDance decided to cut down its Indian workforce amid the uncertainty over its biggest business TikTok’s future in India. Following the political conflict between India and China, the Centre imposed a ban on a number of Chinese apps including short-video app TikTok last June.

  • ByteDance moves to court over blocking of bank accounts in India

    ByteDance moves to court over blocking of bank accounts in India

    KOLKATA: Indian authorities have reportedly blocked bank accounts of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. The Chinese tech company has moved to court asking to quash the directive as it fears that the decision will hit Indian operations hard.

    According to a Reuters report, at least two bank accounts held by ByteDance have been frozen due to alleged tax evasion. Quoting sources, the report mentioned that ByteDance India’s accounts in Citibank and HSBC Bank were ordered to be blocked in mid-March.

    Moreover, the authorities also directed the abovementioned banks to stop ByteDance India from withdrawing funds from any other bank accounts linked to its tax identification number. The Bombay high court has listed the case between ByteDance and the Indian government for hearing on Wednesday.

    “At ByteDance, we are committed to abiding by local laws and regulations. While we disagree with the decision of the tax authority in this matter, we will extend our full cooperation to the government," ByteDance said in a statement as quoted by several reports.

    In January 2021, ByteDance decided to cut down its Indian workforce amid the uncertainty over its biggest business TikTok’s future in India. Following the political conflict between India and China, the Centre imposed a ban on a number of Chinese apps including short-video app TikTok last June.

  • TikTok clarifies: Don’t intend to take legal course against ban

    TikTok clarifies: Don’t intend to take legal course against ban

    KOLKATA: The government of India under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act recently imposed a ban on 59 Chinese apps including TikTok. Several reports said that the video-sharing platform could take a legal route. However, the company has refuted such reports saying that it has no plans to pursue such action. 

    "There have been statements in the press concerning the possibility that TikTok might pursue legal action regarding the directive by the government of India. We have no plans to pursue such action. We are committed to working with the government to address its concerns. We comply with the laws and regulations of the government of India. Ensuring the data sovereignty, security and privacy of our users has always been and will continue to be a top priority for us," said a TikTok spokesperson.

    The ministry of information technology said that the apps are engaged in activities “which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order." The ministry mentioned that it received many complaints from various sources including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India.

    Earlier TikTok India head Nikhil Gandhi said that it is in the process of complying with it. He also mentioned that it had been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications.

  • Govt bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok

    Govt bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok

    KOLKATA: As the tension between India and China escalates, the Indian government has banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, UC Browser, Shareit, Shein, WeChat, Xender.  The ministry of information technology has invoked its power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act and has said that the apps are engaged in activities “which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”

    The ministry has mentioned that it received many complaints from various sources including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India. The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures.

    The indian cyber crime coordination centre, ministry of home affairs has also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking these malicious apps. This ministry has also received many representations raising concerns from citizens regarding security of data and risk to privacy relating to operation of certain apps. The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has also received many representations from citizens regarding security of data and breach of privacy impacting upon public order issues.

    “Likewise, there have been similar bipartisan concerns, flagged by various public representatives, both outside and inside the Parliament of India. There has been a strong chorus in the public space to take strict action against Apps that harm India’s sovereignty as well as the privacy of our citizens,” it stated.

    The government has decided to disallow the usage of those apps, used in both mobile and non-mobile Internet-enabled devices.