Tik Tok has become one of the popular Chinese video app in social media The Madras High court has asked the centre to ban Tik Tok as it was encouraging pornography. The order also directs the media not to telecast videos made using the app.
TikTok, an app that allows users to create and share short videos with special effects, has over 54 million monthly active users in India. The Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, which has been hearing a petition against the app, said children who were using TikTok were vulnerable to exposure to sexual predators.
The petition was filed by a Madurai-based senior lawyer-cum-social activist Muthu Kumar. Citing pornography, cultural degradation, child abuse, suicides, he had requested the court to direct a ban on TikTok. The judges, Justices N Kirubakaran and SS Sundar, have also directed the central government to respond before the February 16 if it would enact regulations such as theChildren’s Online Privacy Protection Act in the US to prevent children becoming online victims.
The court said the “dangerous aspect” of TikTok is the “inappropriate” content. It also said “there is a possibility of the children contacting strangers directly”. The order also observed that pranks made using the app could violate privacy.
