Which territory has banned popular apps like WhatsApp, WeChat, and Google Drive from government computers due to cybersecurity co…

General Knowledge & Current Affairs ·Previously asked in JKSSB Constable (Executive / Armed / IRP / SDRF) 2024

View the full solved paper: JKSSB Constable 2024 - Set A

Question

Which territory has banned popular apps like WhatsApp, WeChat, and Google Drive from government computers due to cybersecurity concerns?

  1. A. Singapore
  2. B. Hong Kong (Correct answer)
  3. C. Taiwan
  4. D. Macau

Correct Answer

Option B — Hong Kong

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Hong Kong.

Key Points

  • Hong Kong barred apps including WhatsApp, WeChat and Google Drive from government computers, citing cybersecurity risks.
  • The restriction applied to official devices and networks rather than to public use.
  • Such measures are generally justified on grounds of protecting government data from foreign servers and interception.
  • Similar app restrictions on official devices have been adopted by several governments worldwide in recent years.

Additional Information

  • Restrictions of this kind target government-issued devices and networks rather than the public, and are usually justified on the grounds that messaging and cloud-storage apps can move official data outside controlled systems.
  • India took a comparable step in 2020, blocking a large number of apps — including TikTok, PUBG Mobile and UC Browser — under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, which permits blocking in the interest of national security.
  • Questions on app bans and data-security policy appear regularly in the current-affairs sections of police recruitment papers.

Topics covered: Current Affairs