How Much Surveillance Is Too Much Surveillance?
The government’s latest order requiring smartphone makers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app has triggered fresh concern among users and digital rights communities. The biggest question is simple: why force an app that people cannot uninstall? Moreover, the quiet rollout of this mandate added to the confusion.
What Sanchar Saathi Is Designed to Do
The Sanchar Saathi platform began as a website in 2023. It enabled users to report scam calls, verify IMEI numbers, and blacklist stolen phones. Over time, it merged multiple telecom safety tools into a single interface. These features help reduce fraud and support device tracking.
However, mandatory installation shifts the relationship between the app and users. Instead of choosing it for safety, users now receive it as a permanent feature on their phones.
Why a Pre-Installed App Worries Users
Pre-installed apps often have elevated system permissions. They may access deeper layers of the operating system than regular apps. Cybersecurity experts warn that such apps can gain additional permissions through over-the-air updates without user intervention.
Therefore, the concern is not about what Sanchar Saathi does today. Instead, it is about what permissions it might gain tomorrow—and whether users will have a say in that process.
A Pattern of Tighter Digital Rules
The new mandate arrives just after another major rule. Last week, apps like WhatsApp were directed to restrict user accounts to the same SIM card used during signup and to log out linked devices every six hours. These decisions were issued under the updated Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024.
Because of this timing, many feel the Sanchar Saathi order may be part of broader efforts to increase digital monitoring and identity verification.
Why Users Seek Clarity and Transparency
People understand the need for safety tools, especially when online scams continue to rise. Yet forced installation without clear communication creates distrust. Users want to know how their data is handled, what permissions the app holds, and whether it can expand its access in the future.
The current debate revolves around one core question: How much surveillance is too much surveillance? Until there is transparency, the concern is likely to grow.
