Indian Govt. blocks over 200 Apps. with Chinese links

Amid a major crackdown on loan-lending apps, the government of India has ordered to ban around 230 Chinese apps, including 138 betting apps and 94 loan lending apps, on "urgent" and "emergency" basis. Reports say the government began an analysis of as many as 288 Chinese apps around six months ago. It was revealed that these apps could have accessed the personal data of Indian citizens. The move was taken after confirming that these apps attract Section 69 of the IT Act as they contain material, which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India. The action behind the move is based on many complaints of extortion and harassment of individuals who had availed small amounts of loans through the mobile apps being run by those entities and persons. Reports say these apps are the brainchild of Chinese nationals who hired Indians and made them directors in operation. Desperate people are lured into taking on a loan and then jacked up the interest by up to 3,000 per cent annually, according to reports. When the debtors were unable to repay the interest, let alone the entire loan, individuals representing these apps started harassing those in debt.