TikTok May Make a Comeback in India Soon, Trademark Application Suggests

TikTok could make a comeback in India quickly as its guardian firm ByteDance has filed a trademark for the short-form video app with the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks. It was among the many 59 Chinese apps that the federal government banned in June final 12 months. Shortly after the ban, the TikTok app was pulled from app shops and have become inaccessible on Indian networks. Platforms together with Facebook’s Instagram, nevertheless, built-in an identical expertise that was initially accessible on TikTok to fill its hole for Indian customers.

ByteDance filed the trademark utility for TikTok with the title “TickTock” on July 6. The utility, first reported by tipster Mukul Sharma on Twitter and independently verified by Gadgets 360, was filed beneath the Class 42 of the Fourth Schedule to Trade Mark Rules, 2002, that’s meant for “scientific and technological services and research and design relating thereto; industrial analysis and research services; design and development of computer hardware and software.”

TikTok trademark utility has been filed with the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks

ByteDance didn’t reply to a request for remark on the time of writing. This report will likely be up to date once we hear again.

According to media studies, ByteDance has been in talks with the government on bringing TikTok again to the nation. The Chinese firm additionally assured officers that it might work to adjust to the brand new IT guidelines.

ByteDance in 2019 appointed its chief nodal and grievance officer in India. It is among the key necessities of the IT guidelines for ‘vital’ social media intermediaries which have over 50 lakh customers within the nation.

However, regardless of having the nodal and grievance officer in place, ByteDance-owned TikTok confronted the nationwide ban final 12 months for threatening the nation’s “sovereignty and integrity” amid border tensions with China.

Months after the ban, ByteDance reportedly had discussions with Reliance Industries for an funding in TikTok to revive its enterprise within the nation. That dialogue, nevertheless, didn’t assist convey any modifications.

At the time of its ban, TikTok had round 20 crore customers within the nation. Those customers had been attracted by platforms together with Instagram and YouTube via their built-in choices Reels and Shorts, respectively. Some Indian TikTok options additionally emerged available in the market to reap the benefits of its ban and money in on the demand for short-form video apps within the midst of the nationwide lockdown.

Earlier this month, PUBG Mobile, that was additionally part of final 12 months’s serial Chinese app ban, got here again to India as Battlegrounds Mobile India. China’s e-commerce platform Shein that was banned final 12 months can be trying to come back to the nation via Amazon’s Prime Day sale subsequent week.