Why Did India Really Ban TikTok? 5 Absolutely Bonkers Conspiracy Theories That Weirdly Check Out
The Chinese app TikTok was banned by the Indian government was banned in June 2020.
After being banned in India for a long time, TikTok is back to being the talk of the town. Many wondered if it would be back in the country available to the audience like before. But reports suggest that sources from Ministry Of Electronics and Information Technology have clarified that the ban on the Chinese app has not been lifted. But people on Reddit have already started making their theories about it and here are some fun reads!
Theories About TikTok Ban In India
The Chinese app TikTok was banned by the Indian government was banned in June 2020. Along with this, many other apps like UC Browser and WeChat were also banned. They cited that this was because ‘prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order’. A Reddit thread had a deep discussion about this and here are five crazy theories you MUST read.
Hot take : the real reason why India banned TikTok wasn’t because of security concerns
byu/Economy_Carpenter630 inNortheastindia
1. The Save-Face Theory
The TikTok thread pointed that maybe the Indian government didn’t want them comparing themselves with people abroad. Especially the ultra-choreographed, advanced technology in the East Asia. Seeing such glossy content might depress the population and the ban might have been a public mental health move.
2. The Hygiene Discussion
Rumour has it that the ban on TikTok was actually about avoiding viral commentary on public hygiene and PDA mishaps, especially in metropolitan areas. The app’s unchecked public recordings risked exposing certain everyday behaviours, and the ban conveniently muted that.
3. The Anti-Growth Theory
Now, as per Reddit, the government stressed that TikTok would inspire much innovation in sectors like infrastructure or agriculture. From farmers using automation and citizens demanding faster development. Banning the app became the easiest way to dodge expectations of faster progress. They wrote, “They didn’t want us seeing how far ahead China is.”
4. Cultural Humility Shield
Another satirical argument that the ban was to preserve the cultural identity by shielding citizens from being ‘shamed’ into modernisation. By limiting their exposure to futuristic or urban content, the government could keep traditional kitschy debates going one like dosa vs idli at the forefront instead of progress or global trends.
5. The Political Understanding
The ban wasn’t about kids wasting time dancing, it might have been a strategic move in India-China standoff after the Galwan clash in 2020. This was the perfect scapegoat for the government to take the ‘tough stand’ against China without touching the bigger and messier stuff like trade, electronics, or pharma imports. Basically, making all this up as ‘data privacy.’
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know.
First Published: August 23, 2025 5:18 PM
