Security or surveillance: Where do we draw the line?

DW (English)

The Indian government has developed a cybersecurity app which it recommends for all smartphones. Sanchar Saathi promises security - but critics call it Big Brother.

Transcript

00:00Has your phone ever been stolen? I know, stressful, right? It has all your pictures

00:05and chats and not to forget your banking apps. And honestly, do you know how to

00:09block it or track it? That's what the Indian government wants to make easier

00:14and fight cyber fraud at the same time. They have developed a cyber security app,

00:19which they recommend to be installed on all smartphones in India. But is that

00:25smart security or an invasion of privacy? Let's break it down. First, what does the

00:30app do? If your phone was stolen, you report it using your online account. The

00:36system blocks the IMEI. That's the phone's unique ID across all networks.

00:41This makes the phone unusable with any SIM card. If someone inserts a new SIM,

00:47alerts go out to the police and you. Police then use IMEI tracking data to

00:53locate and recover the device. Indian authorities say this usually happens

00:58within a few days. The app also allows users to report scam calls or messages.

01:03It even works with WhatsApp. Would you like to have an app like this on your phone?

01:08Let us know in the comments. For all of this to work, Indian authorities have set up a

01:13huge central database called Central Equipment Identity Register. It tracks IMEIs

01:19nationwide. The new Indian cyber security app is not just about getting stolen phones back.

01:25It aims to stop identity theft and other scams. Cyber criminals often use stolen

01:31phones to access passwords, banking apps or social media. The app launched in January

01:362025, following its earlier rollout as a web portal in May 2023. The Indian government

01:44says it's a huge success. In October alone, more than 50,000 devices were recovered.

01:50The Indian government recently ordered smartphone manufacturers to pre-install the app and make

01:57it undeletable, a move critics warned could require system-level access and raise surveillance

02:02concerns. After strong backlash from Apple, other manufacturers, opposition parties and digital

02:09rights groups, the mandate was withdrawn. Sanchasati now stays voluntary. It only activates after user

02:16registration and uses permissions you grant, such as IMEI, call and SMS logs and camera access.

02:23According to its privacy policy, it does not auto-collect personal data or share it, except

02:29under legal requirements. Still, would you trust your government with that kind of access?

02:35To sum it up, the Indian cybersecurity app touches on a very central question. What price are

02:41we willing to pay for online security? Would you give up some privacy for more security?

02:47Or do you find that intrusive? Would you rather take care of your own online safety? Maybe installing

02:52and paying for security apps? And what about the companies behind them? Tough call. What's

02:58your take? Let us know.

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