TikTok likely to return to India as TickTock after PUBG and Shein
The development comes nearly a week after a ByteDance source told a news portal that the company is keen to resume operations given the new IT rules of the Modi government and the Biden administration “deciding to review the security of Chinese apps, instead of outright banning them.”
FollowExactly a year after its ban in the country, the hugely popular short-video app TikTok could make re-entry to India as TickTock, a new trademark application filed by ByteDance stated on Tuesday.
Tipster Mukul Sharma on Twitter noted that TikTok’s parent company ByteDance has filed a trademark for TickTock with Controller General of Patents, Designs and TradeMarks earlier this month. The trademark application has been filed on July 6 as per the post and the description of the service reads, “hosting multimedia entertainment content, hosting of multimedia and interactive applications."
The development comes nearly a week after a ByteDance source told a news portal that the company is keen to resume operations given the new IT rules of the Modi government and the Biden administration “deciding to review the security of Chinese apps, instead of outright banning them.”
The short video app was among the first batch of 59 Chinese apps in India to be banned by the union government over national security.
The initial 59 apps that also included popular platforms such as Shein, Shareit, ES File Explorer, and more were blocked under the provisions of Section 69 of the IT Act and IT rules 2008 that says, “in view of information available they are engaged in activities which is [sic] prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order." Notably, months after TikTok was banned in India, the government blocked the highly popular mobile game PUBG Mobile, which recently made a comeback as Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI).
After TikTok was banned in India, many tech companies such as Instagram, Youtube and Snapchat have released their own short video platforms in form of Reels, Shorts, and Spotlight.
Earlier this month, South Korean developer Krafton launched BattleGrounds Mobile India, the rebranded India-specific version of PUBG Mobile, which was also banned last year as part of the Chinese app ban.
NOTE: Asianet News humbly requests everyone to wear masks, sanitize, maintain social distancing and get vaccinated as soon as eligible. Together we can and will break the chain #ANCares #IndiaFightsCorona
