Here's how the government can enforce ban on Uber and other taxi apps

Debate is on whether it was right to ban Uber & other taxi apps. But in case officials do enforce the ban, how do they actually do it. A primer:

How a taxi aggregator works

>Driver or taxi owner signs up on Uber or Ola, TaxiForSure

>Gets a phone with taxi app loaded

>Downloads the taxi app on their phones from app stores

>To hail a taxi, user opens the app. Selects cab type and pick up location

>Nearby driver gets an alert that a user wants to hail a cab

>Driver accepts the ride within a stipulated time period

>User is informed that the driver is on his way

>Driver picks up and drops the user

How can the government enforce the ban?

>Disable the app from the driver side so that no cabs show up when users open the app

>Apps are usually relaying information between various stakeholders. Government could block communication channels. Shut telecommunications lines used by Uber and other taxi app companies with the help of telcos

>Ask Uber for the IP address of its servers and block those servers. IP address blocks are not foolproof

>Block the app on the users’ phone: This is practically very difficult

>Ask app stores to remove the app to prevent future downloads