India’s government has taken decisive action, moving to block 300 apps believed to facilitate online criminal activity.
This extreme action is taken on websites that are linked to stealing information, porn, gambling, and piracy. It shows that you actually care about keeping individuals safe and the country safe.
The ban on certain apps traces back to a 2020 order from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). This directive, which invoked Section 69A of the IT Act, was employed to restrict access to specific Chinese-owned applications during a period of crisis. The move sparked a wider conversation about the limitations imposed on apps functioning within India’s territory.
TikTok, PUBG Mobile, and WeChat were some of the first platforms to feel the effects. Detractors contended that the apps’ data-gathering methods, lacking official authorization, infringed upon privacy rights and could pose a threat to national security.
By 2022, this initial wave of bans had expanded to encompass over 250 apps, fueled by concerns over cybersecurity and geopolitical tensions along the border.
Child safety advocates and the general public played a pivotal role, drawing attention to the persistent disregard for warnings and the unrestrained proliferation of these problematic applications.
Ullu, ALTT, MoodXVIP, and Big Shots are just a few of the forty services now facing restrictions. The Digital Media Ethics Code and the 2021 IT Intermediary Guidelines have deemed these sites to be hosting content that wasn’t approved.
Parents were upset because they were afraid about what their kids would see. About 100 apps were removed because they were stealing information. These were file organizers, scanners, and other devices that communicated personal information including money, contacts, and locations to servers in other countries. This is similar to how Chinese apps used to scare people.
Some apps made it easier for thieves, peer-to-peer lending, and disseminating fake information to happen.
These illegal websites didn’t pay taxes, share false information, or stream anything that was protected by copyright. People lost faith in both the internet and cultural institutions because of this.
Legal Reasoning and Official Reasoning
The government does what it does to keep the peace, protect national security, and keep people who are in danger safe. Section 69A stipulates that the government can tell Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to content that is deemed bad. People in this field use this power all the time.
Betting apps break these laws. Companies can’t meet the media criteria of 2021, which is why OTT violations happen.
Everyone who knows a lot about cybersecurity agrees that this is really important. Concerns are mounting that unregulated websites might evolve into breeding grounds for malicious software, fraudulent schemes, and other undesirable behaviors.
With more than 900 million people in India online, the potential dangers are escalating. Research conducted by I4C reveals that users aren’t necessarily using these applications as intended.
A well-known advocate for children’s rights noted that the bans are in keeping with what the courts say about bad behavior. This stops kids from viewing unsafe stuff all the time.
The evidence presented is quite strong.
In 2025, over 5,000 gambling websites were shut down, yet users discovered ways to circumvent these restrictions through apps. Daily, Indians pour over ₹500 crore into online gaming, a trend that correlates with increased crime and financial concerns.
The consequences are substantial, affecting both the industry and the people who use its products.
Daily internet users, particularly in tech-centric cities like Pune and Delhi, are the most immediately affected. Gamblers’ habits are disrupted, and streaming enthusiasts are actively seeking verified substitutes. This is evidenced by a 30% surge in VPN usage.
But officials warn these workarounds aren’t safe.
What transpired has been bad for the overall tech industry. Developers that follow the regulations are fearful that enforcement would be too wide, which might mean that apps that follow the rules are stuck with IP-based restrictions. The Indian gaming industry could be valued at $3.5 billion by 2025.
It needs rules that people want to follow and that make them think of new things.
Local platforms will win in the end. People who have left are drawn to OTT giants like Netflix and JioCinema that respect the laws. When groups of volunteers keep an eye on things, local gaming enterprises perform well. Some people who care about digital rights, on the other hand, don’t want any constraints and want clear ways to appeal rulings to keep people safe and free to speak their minds.
People have quite distinct feelings. Parents and security experts are happy that “toxic apps that pollute young minds” are being removed. On the other hand, computer experts don’t like selective policing and want to know why bigger problems, like fake news made by AI, don’t get the same type of attention.
Problems with technology and following the rules
It’s not easy to make restrictions that stop 300 apps from working. Changing their identity, using internet mirrors, or APK sideloading, which is faster than static blocking, can soon get platforms back online. It is tougher to enforce standards when there are gaps in rural connectivity. This lets people who can’t get enough access use a proxy.
After 2025, OTT crackdowns demonstrated how bad things were: Ullu’s content came back for a brief period employing domain techniques, but it was taken down again. MIB and MeitY now use AI to watch over websites in other countries and work with those countries to do so. People are still having problems with dynamic DNS and encrypted communications, on the other hand.
There is more and more opposition, both in the law and in other ways. Courts can step in if bans are unfair or too punitive, like when Battlegrounds Mobile India got a temporary stay. App makers are suing to get punishments that happen over time instead of right away.
India’s government has taken a significant step, banning 300 apps to combat illegal digital platforms. It’s a considerable undertaking.
