The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a press release to ban around 59 prominent Chinese mobile applications from both Android and iOS app marketplace within under 69A of the Information Technology Act. The list includes apps like TikTok, WeChat, Cam Scanner, Clash of Kings among others.  This is the first time the government has proactively announced the blocking orders which are often issued in secret with no explanation.  The press release states those apps have been engaging in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order. 

To decipher this order, I spoke to Pranesh Prakash, an affiliated Fellow with Yale Law School's Information Society Project. Pranesh is a veteran in the information technology policy space and has documented several issues with section 69A of the IT Act. 

<div>The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a press release to ban around 59 prominent Chinese mobile applications from both Android and iOS app marketplace within under 69A of the Information Technology Act. The list includes apps like TikTok, WeChat, Cam Scanner, Clash of Kings among others.  This is the first time the government has proactively announced the blocking orders which are often issued in secret with no explanation.  The press release states those apps have been engaging in activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order. <br><br>To decipher this order, I spoke to Pranesh Prakash, an affiliated Fellow with Yale Law School's Information Society Project. Pranesh is a veteran in the information technology policy space and has documented several issues with section 69A of the IT Act. </div>

The second season of Cyber Democracy podcast focuses on understanding how technology is a site for gendered politics in India. Through conversations with female and trans-queer grassroots practitioners, the podcast will discuss how our gender and intersectional identities shape our experiences of and engagements with technologies and the Internet.

Show Host: Radhika Radhakrishnan
 (https://twitter.com/so_radhikal)

Season 1

What does Democracy mean in this age of cyber? How does the government benefit from the sale of our data? What is data economy? And does the internet give us the right to be forgotten? These and many more questions will be discussed, debated and answered in Cyber Democracy, a new podcast offering from Suno India.

Show Host: Srinivas Kodali (https://twitter.com/digitaldutta)

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