- The government rolled back the Sanchar Saathi app pre-installation mandate on smartphones
- Over 1.4 crore users have downloaded the app already, prompting a rollback due to rising adoption
- The government also confirmed Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia's statement the app can be deleted
The government on Wednesday rolled back an order mandating pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app on smartphones sold in the country.
The order to manufacturers - including American technology giant Apple, which was reportedly prepping a legal challenge - was withdrawn because the "the number of users who have downloaded the app (over six lakh in 24 hours and 1.4 crore users overall) has been increasing rapidly".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 mandate to pre-install "was meant to accelerate this process".
The statement also confirmed what Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said yesterday and repeated in Parliament this morning - the app can be deleted.
"The government, with an intent to provide access to cybersecurity to all citizens, mandated pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. The app is secure and meant to help citizens from bad actors in the cyber world. There is no other function other than protecting users... and they can remove the app..."
The rollback followed two days of protests over concerns the pre-installation directive violates privacy rights and that the app itself could be used to spy on people, an echo of the Pegasus spyware scandal.
Earlier today Scindia told the Lok Sabha, "Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi app. And I can delete it like any other app... as every citizen has this right in a democracy. We took this step to make it accessible to all."
RECAP | "Snooping Is Not Possible": Centre Doubles Down On Sanchar Saathi App
"The success of the app is based on public participation. But now, based on feedback from the public, we are ready to bring a change in the order," the BJP leader said.
'Ridiculous', fumes opposition
Congress MPs Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Karti Chidambaram were among those to express concerns. "It is ridiculous. This isn't just about snooping on telephones - overall, they are turning this country into a dictatorship," Gandhi Vadra said, while Chidambaram told NDTV, "This has been done in Russia and North Korea (and) now they want to snoop on our private photos and videos."
Other opposition leaders were similarly incensed; Priyanka Chaturvedi from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, called it "another BIG BOSS surveillance moment".
What Is Sanchar Saathi?
It is a security and awareness platform developed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), and can be accessed as an app - available for both Android and Apple devices - and web portal.
NDTV Explains | What Is Sanchar Saathi Cybersecurity App
The government has said it is to help people manage their digital identities, report suspicious activity, and safeguard their devices, as also offer educational material on telecom safety and cyber risks.
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