Alleged Social Media Manipulation App 'Tek Fog' Not Found On Prominent App And APK Stores: Govt

The government on Friday (4 February) informed the Parliament that it tried to locate the 'Tek Fog' app, which was allegedly used to manipulate social media platforms, on prominent app and APK stores but could not find the application there.

In a written reply to a question in Rajya Saba, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, "The government has noted the news articles about the alleged app, namely 'Tek Fog', that has been used to manipulate the social media platforms".

The IT Ministry tried to located the app on "prominent app stores and APK stores and could not find the app in any of these online stores", the minister said.

The APK is a file format used by the Android operating system and a number of other Android-bases operating systems for distribution and installation of mobile apps.

He further said that the IT Ministry was not aware of any technical vulnerability that makes social media intermediaries susceptible to manipulation as reported in the news articles.

"The government is committed to open, safe and trusted, and accoutable internet for users," he added.

He said that the government is aware of the risk and danger posed by growing phenomena of dissemination of wrong and hateful information through some social media platform.

The minister added that the IT Ministry does not track and monitor apps or content appearing on social media platforms.

He informed that the Centre has taken has taken several steps to address the challenges of user harms and hateful information available on social media intermediaries or platform.