Apple has denied Sanchar Saathi app pre installation- a directive by the DoT, amidst privacy concerns¹. After backlash regarding privacy, the DoT took U-Turn and has withdrawn the App’s pre-installation directive².

Policy Concerns

The Sanchar Saathi app, designed to assist smartphone users, has found itself at the centre of a controversy that sits at the intersection of digital consent, privacy, data autonomy, and online safety. While the directive mandating the pre-installation of the app has since been withdrawn, the episode has raised deeper and more enduring policy concerns.

The controversy gained further significance amid reports that a more intrusive proposal-mandating GPS-based location tracking on all smartphones-may be under consideration³. Against this backdrop, the initial pre-installation mandate triggered serious apprehensions.

Foremost among these were privacy concerns. Mandating a government app on personal devices raised fears of excessive data collection and intrusion, particularly given the broad permissions the app was perceived to require. Closely linked to this was the growing unease around digital constitutionalism⁴, especially the potential erosion of the fundamental right to privacy in an environment increasingly shaped by surveillance technologies.

The episode also exposed contradictions in the consent framework governing digital governance. While user consent is often projected as a cornerstone of data protection, the mandate revealed a dual regime⁵ where consent could be effectively bypassed through executive direction.

Overall, the Sanchar Saathi controversy has once again brought the debate on privacy and data control in the digital age to the forefront. Rather than mandating government applications, policy efforts would be better directed towards enhancing digital literacy to combat scams and cybercrime while respecting individual autonomy and constitutional safeguards.