TikTok has been pulled from app stores in India, after a state court prohibited downloads of the video-sharing app.
The app, which is also hugely popular with young people in the UK, allows users to create and share short videos with special effects.
However, it has been beset by controversy, with schools and children's charities warning that the app has become a hunting ground for paedophiles.
Now a court in southern Tamil Nadu state has asked the federal government to ban TikTok, saying it encourages pornography and warning that sexual predators could target child users.
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Apple and Google have both blocked access to TikTok on their app stores in India, following a request from the federal government to abide by the state court's order.
Google said in a statement it does not comment on individual apps but adheres to local laws. Apple did not respond to requests for comment.
A spokesman for TikTok in India said the company had faith in the judicial system and was "optimistic about an outcome that would be well received by" its millions of users in India.
The ban is a major setback for the app's Chinese developer Bytedance Technology.
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TikTok had been downloaded more than 240 million times in India, according to app analytics firm Sensor Tower, and more than 30 million users installed the app in January 2019 alone.
The app's platform is dominated by clips and footage related to India's thriving movie industry, along with memes and videos in which youngsters, some scantily clad, lip-sync and dance to popular music.
In its Supreme Court filing, Bytedance argued that a "very minuscule" proportion of TikTok content was considered inappropriate or obscene.
The state court has requested written submissions from Bytedance in the case and has scheduled its next hearing for April 24.
Earlier this month, TikTok announced it was teaming up with Internet Matters to educate families about the importance of digital wellbeing, and address common challenges such as peer pressure online.
It also announced it would provide practical and useful tools for parents, schools and online users that will help them enjoy the online environment safely.
"Promoting a safe and positive experience is TikTok’s top priority since the very beginning," said Patrick Nommensen, TikTok's head of global public policy, at the time.
"We will continue to raise awareness around important issues including online safety and digital wellbeing."
