The government's cyber security and safety app Sanchar Saathi recorded a 10-fold jump in downloads on Tuesday, rising from a daily average of around 60,000 to nearly 6 lakh, DoT sources said on Wednesday.
The number of downloads jumped even as Opposition leaders and a section of industry experts criticised the Department of Telecom order to mandatorily pre-install the app on all mobile phones alleging that it is meant for "snooping" and violating privacy of citizens.
"There has been very good response to the Sanchar Saathi App from the public suddenly. The download on a single day jumped 10 times to around 6 lakh from an average of 60,000 a day," a DoT source, who did not wished to be named, told PTI.
According to official data, 1.5 crore people have already downloaded the app even before the order was issued. The order dated November 28, mandates all mobile phone manufacturers to pre-install Sanchar Saathi app in all handsets to be sold in India as well as in existing devices through software update.
It mandates mobile phone companies to ensure that the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi application is readily visible and accessible to the end users at the time of first use or device setup and that its functionalities are not disabled or restricted. Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has said users are free to delete the app if they don't want to use it. DoT sources said the phrase "readily visible and accessible" and "functionalities are not disabled or restricted" is a direction to manufacturers, not a restriction on users.
"It simply means manufacturers must not hide, cripple or pre-install a non-functional version of the app and later claim compliance. Nowhere it has been mentioned in the above clause that the Sanchar Saathi App cannot be uninstalled by the end user. It is up to the citizen if he wants to enable and register Sanchar Saathi Mobile App or wants to uninstall," a source said.
DoT sources said the Sanchar Saathi app has limited access to phone data and that too only to extent citizens permit it in each "interaction of reporting fraud" through the permissions granted. Like some other mobile apps, Sanchar Saathi seeks permission to "make & manage phone calls" to check the active SIM in the phone before starting the registration process, send SMS to complete user registration. -- PTI
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