India's New Mandate Sparks Privacy Fears as Sanchar Saathi Becomes Forced Phone Bloatware

"When users like Harish Jonnalagadda of Android Central installed the app on a Find X9 Pro, he found that the app requires sensitive permissions, like phone state and SMS access, supposedly for tracking lost devices. Denying such requests results in the app crashing. Once registration is completed, these permission requests increase to camera, call log access, and even device storage. The intrusive access to data, along with the compulsory installation, has increased concerns over user privacy and government overreach."

"According to Jonnalagadda, the biggest point of concern is that it cannot be uninstalled or disabled once Sanchar Saathi comes pre-installed. For many users, this turns the app into a sort of forced bloatware software they never asked for and can't eliminate. Critics argue that a tool billed as a cybersecurity solution should aim to empower users, not force itself onto their devices with elevated permissions."

The government mandated preinstallation of Sanchar Saathi across all smartphone brands, including mandatory over-the-air updates to add the app to existing devices and iPhones. The app's Play Store listing claims no data collection or sharing, but users report extensive permission requests after installation, including phone state, SMS, camera, call logs, and device storage, with denial causing crashes. The app cannot be uninstalled or disabled once preinstalled, effectively acting as forced bloatware. Critics say a cybersecurity tool should empower users, not impose itself with elevated permissions, and the 90-day compliance deadline has manufacturers scrambling.

Read at Tech Times