Govt Withdraws Mandatory Pre-Installation of Sanchar Saathi App

New Delhi: Day after a huge controversy erupted over privacy and potential surveillance, the government on Wednesday rolled back an order mandating pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi cyber security app on smartphones sold in the country. However, the government said that the Sanchar Saathi app would continue to be available on app stores for voluntary downloads, as it only helps track and block stolen phones and prevents them from being misused. The decision comes hours after Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed the Lok Sabha, clarifying that “snooping is neither possible, nor will it ever be”.

Given the Sanchar Saathi app’s increasing acceptance, the government said that it decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers. The move of the government follows protests from opposition parties and privacy advocates who felt the app could listen to calls as well as read messages. Some manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung were said to have voiced reservations over the November 28 order after the government directed smartphone makers to pre-install the app on all new devices and push it through updates on older ones.

The clarification came after a directive asking smartphone makers to pre-install the app on new phones that will be sold in the country sparked concerns around privacy and potential surveillance. The ministry of communication, however, said that the measure was no longer necessary as the app was gaining ‘wide user acceptance’ on its own. “The order to manufacturers was withdrawn because the number of users who have downloaded the app (over six lakh in 24 hours and 1.4 crore users overall) has been increasing rapidly”, the ministry said in a press statement.

Globally, hardly any country has mandated pre-loading of a cyber security app on all smartphones. The only reported exception is Russia which in August ordered that MAX — a state-backed messaging service viewed by critics as a potential surveillance tool — be installed by default on all phones and tablets. Defending its own app, the government also said that it was secure and purely meant to help citizens from bad actors in the cyber world.

Earlier in the day, telecom minister Scindia also hinted that the government is ready to make changes in the order related to pre-installment of Sanchar app. Amid concerns around privacy, he also ruled out any chances of snooping through the state-backed cybersecurity app. “Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app,” Scindia said during question hour in the Parliament, adding that the app is for the protection of the people.

The minister also said that there have been around 1.5 crore app downloads already. “With the portal and the app, 26 lakh stolen handsets have been traced, 7 lakh stolen handsets have been returned to consumers, 41 lakh mobile connections have been disconnected and 6 lakh frauds have been blocked. If a consumer has not been registered on the app, then the app will not be operational and one can also delete the app,” he said in the House.