Merely hours after courts instructed the Indian government to have TikTok banned from the country, the popular short-video app has vanished from Apple and Google's app stores.
But with over 100 million users in India, and more joining every single minute, people are finding alternate means to search and download TikTok app on their smartphones.
Google Trends
At least, that's what seems to be the case, if you look at recent Google Search trends. More people are searching for how to download TikTok APK on Google from India, and its search graph -- the red line visible above -- is on the rise.
The search for TikTok APK download search queries are shooting up after Madras High Court's initial April 5 verdict on the social app -- where it asked TikTok to be banned.
Because Google and Apple have removed the TikTok app from their respective app stores, interested users are looking for different ways to get hold of the app. In the case of iPhone it's complicated, but Android users can get the app's "APK" (or Android Package Kit) from an unauthorised, third party app store.
And TikTok app is still visible and available for download from these non-Google app stores. This is just one website, there are several others that are doing the exact same thing -- hosting the banned TikTok app for anyone to access.
APK Mirror
That's right, because of Android and Google's open app ecosystem, Google Play Store isn't the only place for Android users to download apps from. There are several other websites which hosts apps that you can download and install on your Android phone -- but it requires turning off your Android phone's security setting.
And the minute you turn off your Android phone's security setting, allowing it to install apps from non-Google Play Store, you are effectively increasing your risk of getting exposed to malware or spyware and installing it inadvertently on your phone through these apps.
If you are installing Android apps that aren't signed and verified by Google (with a green tick mark below them), you are taking a risk every single time. Hackers and malware creators can just use the TikTok logo and put it on their malicious app and fool you into downloading it on your Android phone, if you aren't careful.
Google verified app
Security software companies like Kaspersky, Symantec and Sophos, routinely advise against installing Android apps which 1) Don't originate on the Google Play Store, and 2) Don't have Google's verification certificate.?
So you may laugh at the TikTok ban and ridicule the Indian government's actions, but for your own safety and security you probably shouldn't look for alternate ways to download and install the TikTok APK on your Android phone.