Sanchar Saathi: Ready to make changes in order; snooping will never happen, says Scindia in Lok Sabha

Amid privacy concerns over the Sanchar Saathi app, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday asserted that snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the app.

Depending on the feedback, the ministry is ready to make changes to the order regarding the installation of the app in devices, he told Lok Sabha.

Sanchar Saathi app se “na snooping sambhav hai, no snooping hoga,” he said in response to Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda's supplementary question regarding snooping concerns related to the app.

The ministry's order, dated November 28, mandating 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 has triggered a row.

Concerns have been raised about possible snooping and that the app could be used to read messages that users exchange.

Asserting that the app is for the protection of people, he said the government wants to give choices to consumers.

If a consumer has not been registered on the app, then the app will not be operational and one can also delete the app, he stated.

There have been around 1.5 crore app downloads.

With the portal and the app, 26 lakh stolen handsets have been traced, 7 lakh stolen handsets have been returned to the consumers, 41 lakh mobile connections have been disconnected and 6 lakh frauds have been blocked, the minister said.

The ministry's order also 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.