Sanchar Saathi App: Govt Clarifies Users Can Delete It, Amidst Growing Privacy Concerns | India News
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India's Minister of Communications, Jyotiraditya Scindia, has clarified that users can delete the Sanchar Saathi cybersecurity app, which was previously required to be pre-installed on phones. The clarification comes after widespread criticism from digital rights activists and politicians, who were concerned that the app could not be removed. The Sanchar Saathi app, launched in May 2023, aims to help users protect their privacy and stay safe from online fraud by allowing them to check mobile connections linked to their IDs, report fraudulent numbers, and trace lost or stolen phones. However, the app's directive sparked concerns that it could be used for surveillance. According to Scindia, the app is completely voluntary and users can delete it if they wish. He also emphasized that the app cannot read messages, access calls, or listen to incoming or outgoing calls. Despite this, many experts and activists remain concerned about the app's high-risk permissions, including access to call and SMS logs, phone management, and camera access. The government has reported that over 200 million people have used the Sanchar Saathi website, with 15 million connected to the app. The platform has helped disconnect 14.3 million numbers, block 6.2 lakh fraud-linked IMEIs, and trace 2.6 million lost or stolen phones. The opposition has criticized the app as a 'snooping' mechanism, arguing that it threatens citizens' privacy and amounts to government overreach. The government's clarification has been welcomed by some, but many experts believe that the underlying privacy concerns remain significant. The DoT's clarification on the app's functionality is crucial, and experts are urging the government to adopt a genuinely opt-in model with strong purpose limitation, data-minimisation, and transparency safeguards.
