Question

Which section of the Information Technology Act empowers the Government to ban mobile apps in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of the country?

• A. Section 66A
• B. Section 69A
• C. Section 67
• D. Section 66

Hint:

Remember these key (and often controversial) sections of the IT Act:

\textbf{Section 66A:} Struck down by the Supreme Court (related to offensive messages).
\textbf{Section 69A:} Power to block online content (the "ban" section).
Knowing the status of Section 66A is particularly important for legal aptitude exams.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Question
The question asks for the specific section of the IT Act, 2000 that grants the Indian government the authority to block public access to online content, including mobile apps, for reasons of national security.

Step 2: Analyzing the Sections of the IT Act


(A) Section 66A: This section dealt with punishment for sending offensive messages through communication services. It was notoriously vague and was struck down as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the \textit{Shreya Singhal v. Union of India} case in 2015.
(B) Section 69A: Titled "Power to issue directions for blocking for public access of any information through any computer resource," this section empowers the Central Government to block online content. The grounds for doing so are in the interest of the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, or for public order. This is the section that has been invoked by the government to ban numerous mobile apps.
(C) Section 67: This section deals with punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form.
(D) Section 66: This is the general section for hacking and related computer offences.

Step 3: Final Answer
Section 69A of the IT Act is the provision that empowers the government to ban mobile apps and other online content. Therefore, option (B) is the correct answer.