PUBG Mobile KR online streamers could get penalized.
PUBG Mobile has been one of the most iconic mobile games ever. It has seen a huge fan following and as a result, people are still wanting to play the game after the ban. Some people have even reached to an extent where they are breaking the laws and playing the Korean or global versions of the game, using a virtual private network (VPN).
A VPN is used to mask your IP and access the websites that are not allowed by your internet service provided (ISP). While this is a way to play the game without coming into anyone’s notice, it is not stable enough as the player might face high ping issues. Also, it is illegal as the Indian government has banned the game in the country.
YouTubers who livestream their PUBG Mobile gameplay have been taking advantage of a VPN service in order to continue streaming even after the ban. Adeeb Sayeed a blogger has recently sent out letters of warnings to such streamers. The blogger has warned them of the consequences they might have to face from the authorities for breaking the law.
In order to create an argument, many content creators asked for a “text from the government, explicitly saying that the PUBG Mobile KR (Korean) version of the game is banned.” They believe that the government has only banned the global versions of the PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite apps in India.
Also Read: PUBG Mobile India vs PUBG Mobile global version: What's different?
While the point seems to be a valid one, they are forgetting about the fact that PUBG Mobile KR offers cross-play functionality. This basically means that even if they are not playing the Global version of the game, they are still queuing up with teammates who are using the PUBG Mobile Global server, which is blocked by the government.
To shed some more light on the subject, an RTI was filed by Prasoon Shekhar, a law student inquiring about the ‘provision of law if somebody disobeys the ban imposed on Chinese apps like CamScanner, PUBG Mobile and more.’ MeitY quickly responded, “MeitY does not ban any App. However, blocking of specified Apps was done under the provisions of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and its Rules namely Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking Access of Information by the Public) Rules, 2009. Section 69A of the Act provides for a penalty to intermediaries for non-compliance of the blocking order. However, no penalty is prescribed for individual users of such Apps.”
This means if an individual is privately accessing the app, they will not be prosecuted but are still disobeying the imposed ban. YouTube streamers or content creators, on the other hand, could get prosecuted and penalized since they are publicly breaking the law to access the apps that are now banned in India.
