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Madras High Court lifts TikTok ban

The decision came two days after the Supreme Court told the Madras High Court that the ban will be automatically lifted if a decision was not given by 24 April.  

Madras High Court lifts TikTok ban

A logo of TikTok app (Photo: AFP)

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday lifted the ban on video mobile application TikTok.

The decision came two days after the Supreme Court told the Madras High Court that the ban will be automatically lifted if a decision was not given by 24 April.

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The ban was lifted subject to condition that pornographic videos will not be uploaded on the app, failing with the contempt of court proceedings would begin.

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Acting on a petition filed by advocate Muthukumar, the Madras High Court on April 3 had in an interim order directed the Centre to ban TikTok app, after concerns were raised about access to pornographic content through it.

The court had also restrained the visual and social media from telecasting through the app, noting that children were being exposed to inappropriate material.

On 16 April, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court refused to lift the ban on the app and set April 24 the next hearing date.

TikTok’s owner, Chinese company ByteDance, had moved the SC regarding the ban.

In the deadline issued to the Madras HC, a Supreme Court bench headed by the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said if the plea is not decided by then, the order by the High Court imposing a ban on the app will be vacated.

The Supreme Court had earlier refused to stay the Madras High Court’s ban order.

Read More | Ban on TikTok will be lifted if Madras HC doesn’t pass verdict by April 24: SC

In compliance with the Madras High Court order, Google and Apple blocked the download of TikTok from Play Store and App Store, respectively, in India.

TikTok allows users to create short videos and share them on social media.

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