India will no longer require smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi “safety” app. After pushback from Apple, Samsung and opposition leaders, Modi’s government issued a statement saying it had “decided not to make pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers”. The app is still available for voluntary download.
India’s transportation ministry attributes the shift to strong voluntary adoption. The country says 14 million users, or about 1% of the country’s population, have downloaded the app. “The number of users has been increasing rapidly and the authorization to install the application is intended to speed up the process and make the application easily accessible to less aware citizens,” the statement read.
The country had previously given smartphone manufacturers 90 days to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on all new phones. They also need to deliver it to existing devices via software updates. India claims its app exists only for cybersecurity purposes. It includes tools that allow users to report and lock lost or stolen devices.
But privacy advocates warn it could be used as a backdoor for mass government surveillance. according to British Broadcasting Corporationthe app’s privacy policy allows it to make and manage calls and send messages. It provides access to call and message history, files, photos, and camera.
ReutersIndustry experts cited Russia as the only known precedent for such a requirement. In August, Vladimir Putin’s regime ordered the messaging app MAX to be pre-installed on all mobile devices in the country. As in the Indian example, experts warn it could be used for surveillance.
Tuesday, Reuters According to reports, Apple will not comply with India’s order, citing privacy and security concerns. Samsung is reportedly not far behind. Opposition leaders in the Indian government have also joined the fray. Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala called on the Modi government to clarify its legal powers to “force the use of non-removable apps”. Despite India’s frame-up, the stance of the two companies and domestic political pressure appear to have played no small role in this reversal.
