Is India withdrawing from “government spy”? Apple and Samsung stood up to the government

Opposition protests and media resistance forced the Indian authorities to withdraw from imposing on smartphone manufacturers the obligation to install a special government application; the opposition and activists considered it a threat to recipients' privacy, Reuters reported.

An app called Sanchar Saathi, i.e. Communication Partnerwas to ensure the safety of users. However, opposition groups and cyber activists raised the alarm, pointing out the threat to citizens' privacy.

As Reuters reported, leading media in India joined the protests, which prompted the government to withdraw from the initiative. The agency noted that the solution proposed by the authorities in Delhi was similar to those used in Russia. In August this year, the Kremlin obliged Russians to install the MAX messenger, prepared by the authorities, in their smartphones and tablets. There were suspicions that the new messenger could be used to track users.

Indian authorities initially defended their idea, arguing that the idea was only to track and block stolen devices and prevent them from being used for criminal purposes.

Opposition politicians demanded a parliamentary debate on Wednesday on the threat to citizens' privacy and security.

The government should clarify the legal basis for making irremovable apps mandatory, said Randeep Singh Surjewala from the opposition Indian National Congress.

“The government has decided that Pre-installation of the application will not be mandatory“, the Ministry of Communications announced on Wednesday.

Reuters reported that Apple and Samsung also expressed their opposition to the Sanchar Saathi application, signaling to the government that they do not intend to comply with the new obligations.

The agency recalled that this is not the first case of attempts to violate the privacy of smartphone users in India. In 2020, the Modi government, under public pressure, withdrew the obligation for public administration employees to use an application that tracks the location of users. This application was introduced as part of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. (PAP)

qba/kbm/