In mid-2020, a lethal clash occurred between Indian and Chinese troops in the border region of Ladakh. Soon after, India charged the digital front, banning dozens of Chinese mobile applications and declaring them harmful to Indian sovereignty and security. One of these apps, with more than 200 million active users, was TikTok.

After the ban, the Chinese-owned social media app disappeared from Indian stores almost overnight. However, irritated influencers and tantrum teens weren’t left in the cold for long, as a number of similar apps mushroomed, quickly filling the void.