Facing privacy uproar, Govt withdraws order for mandatory installation of Sanchar Saathi on smartphones

NEW DELHI: Faced with a barrage of criticism over its order for mandatory pre-installation of state-run Sanchar Saathi app on new smartphones, including charges of surveillance by Opposition parties and pushback by global manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung, govt on Wednesday decided to withdraw the directive, bringing down the curtains on an issue that appeared to be spiralling out of control.



The Ministry of Communications, which had originally issued the Nov 21 directive for mandatory installation which took the industry and privacy activists by surprise, withdrew the order even while justifying the utility of Sanchar Saathi in making citizens cyber secure. It said the app was already quite popular with the masses with over 1.4 crore downloads, and thus not necessitating any mandated installation.





“The govt with an intent to provide access to cyber security to all citizens had mandated pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. The app is secure and purely meant to help citizens from bad actors in the cyber world… Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, govt has decided not to make the pre- installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers,” it said in a statement amidst raging criticism over the move.



The statement said that the app continues to see strong downloads organically. “The number of users has been increasing rapidly and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available to less aware citizens easily. Just in last one day, six lakh citizens have registered for downloading the app which is a 10x increase in its uptake.”




Pressure from Apple, Samsung also led to the roll back



However, sources indicated that the govt was also taken in by surprise over the strong resentment over its move, not just by the Opposition parties but even by global smartphone makers. Companies like Apple and Samsung, the country’s top multi-national manufacturers, had already sounded off the bureaucracy over their displeasure with the “diktat”, and had indicated that they will resist paying heed to the move.



Industry body ICEA also welcomed the withdrawal, and spoke about the need to have consultations with the industry before such measures are announced. “This reflects a balanced and pragmatic policy approach that protects consumers while ensuring smooth and effective implementation by the industry… This decision also reaffirms the importance of comprehensive stakeholder consultations to ensure that future digital security policies are inclusive, technically robust and aligned with on-ground realities.”



Govt had got a sense of the mood of the public as well as device manufacturers on Tuesday and thus signalled a softening of its stance when Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that users were free to delete the application if they did not want to have it on their devices. Scindia emphasised that the fears around the app were unconfounded and added that it was meant to protect users from cyber frauds. "If you want to delete it, then delete it," Scindia had told reporters outside the Parliament after the opposition Congress also raised the matter.



Dismissing the charges of the Opposition, Scindia had asserted that there is no chance of snooping or call monitoring through the app. "It is our responsibility to make this app reach everyone. If you want to delete it, then delete it. If you don't want to use it, then don't register it. If you register it, then it will remain active. If you don't register it, then it will remain inactive.”



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