New York: Reports of TikTok making a return to India created a buzz after users noticed the platform’s website was accessible without a VPN.
However, both the government of India and the TikTok Parent company Bytedance have confirmed that the ban is still in place.
According to officials, “The Government of India has not issued any unblocking order for TikTok. Any such statement or news is false and misleading.”
TikTok also clarified that the sudden website access was a technical glitch and does not indicate a relaunch. A spokesperson reiterated that “the ban is still in effect.”
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The short-video app, along with 58 other Chinese platforms, was banned in June 2020 over national security and data privacy concerns.
While the website may open, the mobile app remains unavailable on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India.