The Next Privacy Battleground: Apple vs. India

What’s happening in the EU with recent legislation (e.g. GDPR) restricting use of data and enforcing serious privacy rules is getting attention around the world. Now, India is taking steps that to reduce spam calls and texts. As part of its new policy, the India Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) is requiring cell phone carriers to allow customers to download a “Do Not Disturb” app to report abusers.

Apple says the App violates it privacy policy because it would have access to call and messages logs and refuses to allow it in the app store.

“The problem of who controls user data is getting acute and we have to plug the loose ends,” Ram Sewak Sharma, Chairman of TRIA told Bloomberg. “This is not the regulator versus Apple, but Apple versus its own users.”

The new regulation mandate that customers be allowed to install the App even if they use Apple products. The law requires companies and data carriers to ensure all devices comply. They have given companies six month to make it happen.

If Apple refuses, TRIA says it will have no choice but to force carriers to remove Apple devices from all of their networks.

H/T 9TO5Mac