TikTok Ban Still in Place, Govt Rejects Rumors of Unblocking

 

 

New Delhi, August 23 (ANN NEWS): The Government of India has denied reports suggesting that the Chinese social media platform TikTok has been unblocked in the country. Official sources clarified late on Friday that no such order has been issued to restore TikTok’s services.

Rumors began circulating after several users reported being able to access the TikTok website through desktop browsers. Screenshots of the TikTok landing page being visible in India quickly went viral on other platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, sparking speculation of a possible comeback.

However, government sources dismissed these reports as “false and misleading.”

“The Government of India has not issued any unblocking order for TikTok. Any such statement or news is false and misleading,” a senior official told ANN NEWS.

 

TikTok, along with several other Chinese apps including WeChat and PUBG Mobile (later relaunched as Battlegrounds Mobile India), was banned by the Indian government in June 2020. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had cited national security and data privacy concerns as the primary reasons for the ban.

 

Some users reported that while the TikTok website homepage appeared accessible on desktops, the app remains unavailable on both Android and iOS platforms in India. Attempting to log in or use the service still redirects users to a blank page or an error message.

For example:

• A user from Delhi claimed he could view the TikTok homepage but was unable to play or upload any videos.
• Another user in Mumbai shared that even though the site loaded, account access was denied, showing TikTok’s services are still blocked.

 

Officials reiterated that accessibility issues could be due to temporary technical glitches at the internet service provider (ISP) level, not because of a government decision.

This is not the first time such rumors have circulated. In the past, reports of TikTok’s possible return emerged whenever minor technical lapses allowed limited website access, but the government consistently clarified its stance.

 

TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, has been trying to re-enter the Indian market for years. Reports have suggested discussions with Indian companies for potential partnerships, but no official deal or clearance has been announced so far.

For now, TikTok remains officially banned in India, and the government has asked the public not to believe misleading reports.