Google Removes Maps.me from Play Store After Takedown Order

Google has removed the Maps.me app from its Play Store in India following a takedown notice from the Survey of India (SoI).

The app was found to show parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh incorrectly, as outside of India. The app is also unavailable on the Apple App Store in India, though the Maps.me website remains accessible.

The SoI’s notice stated that the app’s map depicted India’s boundaries incorrectly, including the entire shape of the country. The notice was issued under Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, which holds platforms like Google responsible for removing content after being notified by the government.

The SoI has been authorized by the Indian government to issue such notices since 2020. The law says that publishing incorrect maps of India can result in a fine or imprisonment for up to six months.

Maps.me, founded in Belarus in 2010, uses OpenStreetMap data and is now based in Switzerland and Cyprus. It became part of Parity.com Group after being acquired by Daegu Limited in 2020.

This is not the first time the SoI has acted against incorrect maps. In December 2022, Google India’s ads homepage was targeted for showing an incorrect map of India. Similar notices have been sent to other platforms, including Blogger and a French game, for similar issues.

The incorrect representation of India’s borders has caused problems, especially with territories that are disputed internationally.