Government Orders Google to Eliminate Chinese App for Misrepresenting India's Map
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Synopsis
On April 21, the Indian government, via MeitY and SoI, ordered Google to remove the Chinese app Ablo from its Play Store due to its inaccurate depiction of India's territorial borders, which violates Indian laws.
Key Takeaways
- MeitY directs Google to remove Ablo.
- Ablo misrepresents Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, and Lakshadweep.
- Violations may lead to imprisonment or fines.
- Google has complied with the removal request.
- Legal action against other apps with incorrect maps is being pursued.
New Delhi, April 21 (NationPress) The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Survey of India (SoI), has mandated the US technology company Google to remove the Chinese chat application ‘Ablo’ from its Play Store due to its inaccurate representation of India’s territorial boundaries.
The government’s notice highlights that the app, which has garnered over 10,000 downloads on Google Play, misrepresents the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, and completely excludes Lakshadweep Island from its mapping. The directive references the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 1990, which classifies such misrepresentations as a punishable offense, potentially leading to imprisonment of up to six months, fines, or both.
“It is clear that the map presented in the 'Ablo' app available on the Google Play Store shows an incorrect external boundary of India which threatens the sovereignty and integrity of the nation,” states the notice.
MeitY invoked Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which requires intermediaries to “swiftly remove or disable access” to content that breaches Indian laws, in its communication to Google.
The notice from MeitY indicates that the issue of inaccurate maps on digital platforms was raised during a discussion with SoI. The ministry has instructed SoI to pursue legal action against such applications under pertinent laws.
The IT Ministry also referenced the Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India, which obligates intermediaries to comply with lawful government orders.
Google appears to have adhered to the directive, as the landing page for the app on Google Play Store now displays the message: “We’re sorry, the requested URL was not found on this server”. The app is also currently unavailable on Apple's App Store for users in India.
Earlier in 2023, MeitY and SoI flagged other applications on the Play Store such as World Map Quiz and MA 2 - President Simulator for inaccurately depicting India’s borders. Similarly, in 2021, Twitter (now X) faced scrutiny from the Indian government for failing to comply with the IT Rules 2021.
The then Twitter India head Manish Maheshwari was charged by the Uttar Pradesh police for the incorrect representation of India’s map.
