In brief
India's government has ordered smartphone manufacturers to include its Sanchar Saathi app pre-installed on all new devices within 90 days. The app, which aims to bolster cybersecurity and help users verify device authenticity, has sparked backlash from privacy advocates and experts due to its extensive permissions and potential for surveillance. Despite government assurances of user autonomy in app management, significant questions remain about privacy implications.
India has ordered all new smartphones to come pre-loaded with a state-run cybersecurity app, sparking privacy and surveillance concerns.
Under the order - passed last week but made public on Monday - smartphone makers have 90 days to ensure all new devices come with the government's Sanchar Saathi app, whose 'functionalities cannot be disabled or restricted'.
The app aims to help citizens verify the authenticity of a handset and report suspected misuse of telecom resources. However, the move has been criticized by cyber experts who argue it breaches citizens' right to privacy.
Under the app's privacy policy, it can make and manage phone calls, send messages, access call and message logs, and utilize the phone's camera. Advocacy group Internet Freedom Foundation stated that this effectively transforms every smartphone sold in India into a platform for state-mandated software that users cannot adequately refuse or control.
Amid growing criticism, India's Minister of Communications Jyotiradtiya Scindia clarified that mobile phone users may delete the app if they choose not to use it. However, he did not explain how this would be accomplished if the app's functions cannot be restricted.
Launched in January, the Sanchar Saathi app allows users to check a device's IMEI, report lost or stolen phones, and flag suspected fraudulent communications. The IMEI is a unique code that identifies a mobile device.
India's Department of Telecommunications highlighted that mobile handsets with duplicate or spoofed IMEI numbers pose a serious risk to cybersecurity.
The government argues the measure will enhance telecom cybersecurity and has reported that the app has facilitated the recovery of over 700,000 lost phones. Nonetheless, experts remain concerned about the app's broad permissions and potential data collection capabilities.
Compliance with the order may be challenging, as it conflicts with the policies of major manufacturers, particularly Apple, which reportedly does not intend to comply.
Similar moves have been noted in other countries, including Russia, which has mandated state-backed apps on mobile devices.
