<story><title>Indian government bans 14 messenger apps including Element, Briar and Threema</title><url>https://news.abplive.com/technology/india-ban-messaging-messenger-apps-mobile-pakistan-terrorism-connection-crypviser-enigma-safeswiss-bchat-1599074</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>akwizgran</author><text>Briar developer here. We weren&amp;#x27;t contacted by the Indian government and we haven&amp;#x27;t received a copy of the blocking order.&lt;p&gt;If anyone reading this works at Google or has a contact there, please put us in touch (contact@briarproject.org). We&amp;#x27;d love to know whether Google has received a blocking order, and if possible get a copy of the order so we can challenge it in court.&lt;p&gt;In the meantime, the app remains available from our website and F-Droid (&lt;a href=&quot;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;briarproject.org&amp;#x2F;download&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;https:&amp;#x2F;&amp;#x2F;briarproject.org&amp;#x2F;download&lt;/a&gt;). The app can also create a wi-fi hotspot to share the APK with people nearby.</text></comment>
<story><title>Indian government bans 14 messenger apps including Element, Briar and Threema</title><url>https://news.abplive.com/technology/india-ban-messaging-messenger-apps-mobile-pakistan-terrorism-connection-crypviser-enigma-safeswiss-bchat-1599074</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>nine_k</author><text>&amp;gt; &lt;i&gt;the blocked apps include Crypviser, Enigma, Safeswiss, Wickrme, Mediafire, Briar, BChat, Nandbox, Conion, IMO, Element, Second line, Zangi, Threema, among others.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;p&gt;That is, anything that&amp;#x27;s easy enough to detect in the traffic, I suppose? Or does it just affect App Store &amp;#x2F; Play Store?&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; &lt;i&gt;The step was taken after multiple agencies found that these apps were being used by terrorists to communicate with their supporters and on-ground workers&lt;/i&gt;&lt;p&gt;I wonder if it applies to members of general public, or to trained agents. For the former, the ban may work. For the latter, I suppose, there&amp;#x27;s less chance: they must have other means to install apps, various VPNs set up, and some opsec training.&lt;p&gt;&amp;gt; &lt;i&gt;The government found that these apps did not have representatives in India and they could not be contacted for seeking information as mandated by Indian laws.&lt;/i&gt;&lt;p&gt;This, of course, should be by design for any really secure communication app. A legal entity representing a secure channel is a people to press on in cases like that, ans such pressure from law enforcement is and will be inevitable. I think Tor network has no legal representative anywhere.</text></comment>