Madras High Court Lifts Ban On TikTok Downloads in India

The live video-streaming platform was taken down from mobile app stores by Google and Apple last week.

The ban on TikTok downloads has been vacated by the Madras High Court. 

(Photo: The Quint)

The Madras High Court on Wednesday, 24 April, lifted the ban on TikTok, the live-streaming app in the country. This means users can start downloading and using the app, once it is available on Android and Apple app stores again.

TikTok had filed a counter affidavit in the Madras HC saying that its in-built security mechanism will moderate content and will not allow uploading of obscene and vulgar content.

Here’s what TikTok had to say after the verdict was given on Wednesday.

We are glad about this decision and we believe it is also greatly welcomed by our thriving community in India, who use TikTok as a platform to showcase their creativity. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue serving our users better. While we’re pleased that our efforts to fight against misuse of the platform has been recognised, the work is never “done” on our end. We are committed to continuously enhancing our safety features as a testament to our ongoing commitment to our users in India

TikTok statement

The Supreme Court had earlier passed an order saying that the ban would be lifted if the Madras HC did not pass an interim order by the given date.

TikTok, owned by Chinese company named ByteDance is being represented by senior lawyer Isaac Mohanlal.

The Bench of judges, however, said that India doesn't have a legislation like the US COPPA to protect children in cyberspace.

The Madras HC had called for a ban on TikTok on 3 April, owing to reports of pornographic content being accessible to minors on the platform. The app was then removed from Google Play Store and Apple App Store after a couple of days.