India makes cybersecurity app optional after public privacy outcry

India’s government is backtracking a bit after people got upset about a new requirement for mobile phones. Officials said this week that users can delete a cybersecurity app they want installed on every new device sold in the country.

On Nov. 28, the Ministry of Communications told phone makers and importers to put the Sanchar Saathi app on devices before selling them. The idea was to cut down on online fraud. Companies got instructions to keep the app accessible and make sure “that its functionalities are not disabled or restricted.”

That didn’t sit well with a lot of people. By Tuesday, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia was doing damage control. “If you don’t want Sanchar Saathi, you can delete it,” he said in a statement the ministry posted on X. “It is optional.”

Opposition politicians jumped all over it. Mallikarjun Kharge, who heads the Congress party, wrote on X that the requirement would mean “snooping, surveilling, scanning and peeping.” He even called it “akin to dictatorship.”

What the app actually does

Some government officials explained to Bloomberg what the app does. Users can fight fraud, block stolen phones from working, and verify mobile connections. The app needs access to call logs and text messages. It also asks for camera permissions and some other features. Officials were quick to say it doesn’t touch the microphone, location, Bluetooth, or operating system.

This whole thing matters because India has more people than anywhere else on earth. Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.’s Google run tight ships when it comes to their phone platforms. They usually push back hard against government interference, saying they need control to keep things secure and protect privacy.

Apple may challenge the order

Apple might challenge the order officially, according to Reuters. Company reps didn’t respond when asked about it. Google stayed quiet too.

Apple just had its best year ever in India, with sales hitting nearly $9 billion last fiscal year as reported by Cryptopolitan. The company’s been opening more stores as demand keeps growing.

The government says the numbers prove the app works. There have been 14 million downloads since launch. Around 2.6 million lost and stolen phones got traced because of it.

India has been ramping up efforts to tackle cyber fraud across multiple fronts, including training thousands of cyber police officers in recent years.

Scindia defended the whole thing Tuesday. He said the app protects people, not spies on them. “Sanchar Saathi is voluntary, transparent, and designed solely to protect India’s mobile consumers while advancing the nation’s cybersecurity,” Scindia said. “Users have complete freedom to activate, or delete the app at any time, ensuring safety without compromising privacy.”

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