Google and Apple have taken down several virtual private network (VPN) apps from the Play Store and App Store in India following an order from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
As per the report by TechCrunch, the ministry cited the reason for the action that the apps did not follow the country’s 2022 cybersecurity rules.
Under these rules, the ministry had made it clear that VPN service providers must keep important user data for at least five years. This data includes addresses, names, IP addresses, and even transaction histories. Several apps failed to meet the government’s requirements.
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Some of the apps removed by both Google and Apple include Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1, Hide.me, and PrivadoVPN.
Top VPN providers like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Surfshark had earlier raised objections to the regulations, citing privacy concerns. Some companies decided to completely remove their servers from India.
However, some VPN providers are still operating in India without openly advertising their services. Notably, there has been no official statement from Google and Apple regarding removing VPN apps from their stores.
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