TikTok’s troubles in India may not be over. The company, along with fellow social app Helo, has been sent some pointed questions by the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) which both companies must respond to by 22 July.
According to news site Medianama, the questions focus on what data the apps are collecting from their users; whether that data is being stored in China; and how they will ensure that the data will not be transferred to a “foreign government, third party, or private entity” in the future. The questions come with the threat of a ban on both apps if the answers are not satisfactory.
The companies have issued a joint statement in response promising to “fully collaborate” – but with a not-so-coded reminder of their plans to pump money into their Indian businesses in the coming years too. “In line with our commitment to India, we are investing $1 billion dollars in India over the next three years, with a strategic focus on developing technology infrastructure, establishing local partnerships and supporting initiatives such as the Skill India Program which we are proud to be assisting with already,” they said. Will that be enough to escape a ban? At the start of next week, we’ll find out.
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