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.'
This is necessary to help citizens verify the authenticity of a handset and report the suspected misuse of telecom resources. The move - which comes in one of the world's largest phone markets, with more than 1.2 billion mobile users - has been criticized by cyber experts, who say it breaches citizens' right to privacy.
Under the app's privacy policy, it can manage phone calls, send messages, access logs, photos, and the camera. Digital rights advocacy group Internet Freedom Foundation expressed concern that this mandates software installation that users cannot refuse or control.
India's Minister of Communications Jyotiradtiya Scindia clarified that mobile phone users could delete the app, though he did not specify how users could do this if the app’s functionalities cannot be disabled.
Launched in January, the Sanchar Saathi app allows users to check a device's IMEI, report lost or stolen phones, and flag suspected fraud communications, which the government states is critical for cybersecurity in a country with a large second-hand mobile device market.
However, the app's broad permissions raise significant fears about the extent of surveillance it may enable. Experts caution compliance could be complicated as it contradicts the policies of major phone manufacturers.
As this debate unfolds, parallels have been drawn with similar regulations in other countries like Russia, leading to a larger discussion about privacy and government oversight in the tech space.
