"India has revoked an order to smartphone manufacturers to install a government-owned cybersecurity application on all new mobile devices following massive backlash amid digital rights concerns. According to an official notification issued by the Department of Telecommunications on November 28, all leading smartphone makers, including Apple and Samsung, were given 90 days to add the government's Sanchar Saathi application to all newly manufactured devices."
"Under the directive issued by India's Department of Telecommunications, manufacturers were told to ensure that Sanchar Saathi was pre-installed on all mobile handsets manufactured or imported for use in India within 90 days. The app, manufacturers were told, was to be readily visible and accessible to the end users at the time of first use or device setup and its features not disabled or restricted."
India revoked a directive requiring smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the government-owned Sanchar Saathi app on all new mobile devices after strong pushback over privacy and security. The Department of Telecommunications had issued a November 28 notification giving manufacturers 90 days to add the app and asked that it be visible and functional at first use, with efforts to push it via updates for devices already in supply. Companies were required to submit compliance reports within 120 days. The government framed the measure as an anti-fraud step, while tech firms and digital-rights advocates raised privacy and security objections.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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