India is reportedly reconsidering its plans for a government-mandated "cybersecurity" app on smartphones, with some experts warning that this could be a slippery slope towards increased surveillance.
According to reports, the Indian government may now require smartphone makers to install an always-on feature called Assisted GPS, which would enable location tracking via satellite even when the phone is in sleep mode. This means users would have no option to turn off location services and would instead remain constantly tracked by law enforcement agencies.
Proponents claim that this plan aims to help law enforcement agencies obtain more precise locations during investigations, citing issues with cell tower data being inaccurate. However, critics argue that such measures infringe upon individual privacy rights.
Major tech companies, including Apple, Google, and Samsung, have expressed opposition to the proposal, warning of its potential impact on sensitive individuals such as journalists, corporate executives, and military personnel. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has also sounded the alarm, stating that this requirement would allow law enforcement agencies to access users' exact locations without due process.
As one critic noted, "Requiring phones to have A-GPS enabled all the time would be a horrifying decision by the Indian government with significant impacts on the privacy of everyone in the country." It remains unclear whether the plan will be revisited or if it will proceed, but experts warn that any such measure could set a concerning precedent for individual freedoms.
According to reports, the Indian government may now require smartphone makers to install an always-on feature called Assisted GPS, which would enable location tracking via satellite even when the phone is in sleep mode. This means users would have no option to turn off location services and would instead remain constantly tracked by law enforcement agencies.
Proponents claim that this plan aims to help law enforcement agencies obtain more precise locations during investigations, citing issues with cell tower data being inaccurate. However, critics argue that such measures infringe upon individual privacy rights.
Major tech companies, including Apple, Google, and Samsung, have expressed opposition to the proposal, warning of its potential impact on sensitive individuals such as journalists, corporate executives, and military personnel. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has also sounded the alarm, stating that this requirement would allow law enforcement agencies to access users' exact locations without due process.
As one critic noted, "Requiring phones to have A-GPS enabled all the time would be a horrifying decision by the Indian government with significant impacts on the privacy of everyone in the country." It remains unclear whether the plan will be revisited or if it will proceed, but experts warn that any such measure could set a concerning precedent for individual freedoms.
the gov's just tryin to make law enforcement's job easier right? 
they're not tryna spy on everyone or nothin' 
and yeah, it might infringe on individual rights a bit but isn't that the point of havin a gov in the first place? 
think about all those ppl who get caught up in crimes bc their location wasn't known in time... this app could be like, a game changer for solvin those cases 
. They're already planning to track our every move, now they wanna make us constantly connected 24/7? Like, what's next? GPS on wearables? Smart home devices? It's like they think we're not capable of taking care of our own privacy... Newsflash: people don't want to be monitored all the time! 
And those "proponents" are just gonna spin it as some kind of good thing, saying it'll help law enforcement, but really what's the end game? Are they just trying to make us feel safe so we let them snoop on us? 
i'm all about keeping everyone safe but not if it means sacrificing our freedom's 
plus what about ppl like journalists & corporate execs who need their security too?! this is super concerning and i hope they reconsider ASAP 
... and now tech companies are getting involved too, saying it's gonna affect people who need extra security for their work or whatever... what's next? 
This is a super weird move from the Indian gov't... I mean, who wants their phone constantly tracking their location? 
It's like they're saying "we trust you to make good choices" lol nope, not true. If this happens it's gonna be a big deal for people who value their privace & security. Big tech companies are already speaking out against it so I'm curious if the gov't is gonna listen or just push through with it... 
. However, the concern about individual privacy rights can't be ignored, and I worry that this could set a precedent for mass surveillance 
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... like, I totally get where they're trying to help law enforcement, but constantly tracking our locations? It's just too much! 
I mean, who doesn't love having their every move tracked 24/7? It's not like we live in a world already filled with too much surveillance and data collection... 
At this point, can we just get an app that tracks our snack consumption instead? Like, "I've eaten 3 cookies in the past hour" would be way more useful to law enforcement than knowing my exact location at all times. 
And I'm sure it's just a coincidence that this proposal comes out at the same time as everyone's getting used to wearing smartwatches... 
And what about those people who are just trying to live their lives without being constantly monitored? Journalists and corporate execs and military personnel... do they not deserve some level of protection against the government's prying eyes? 
I mean who needs constant location tracking? It's like they're trying to monitor us 24/7 
I get that law enforcement might need help finding clues, but can't they use other ways to do so? 
Apple and Google are already saying no to this plan and now the EFF is jumping on the bandwagon too 