Cupertino-based Apple and Indian telecom regulator TRAI are in a standoff after the former has not granted the regulator’s app access to their devices. TRAI has developed a Do Not Disturb application for detection and reporting of unsolicited commercial messages and Apple is not letting it on the App Store, stating it violates their policy.
On one hand, where Apple is asking for tax exemptions for expansion in India, a trifle with TRAI could cost Apple a big chunk of the Indian market. While TRAI says their app is for quick detection of spam, Apple justifies its decision using their privacy policy of ‘Not handing user data to third parties’.
What is TRAI’s DND Application?
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently released a service application named Do Not Disturb (DND). With this app, you have to register your phone number with the regulator and the app will help you avoid any unsolicited commercial messages.
Not only filtering, the app also helps TRAI to pinpoint spam messages to various telcos for quick action. While the app has been there on the Play Store for a while now, TRAI was seeking to get it listed on the App Store for iOS users.
TRAI vs Apple: The Standoff
When the Telecom Regulator tried to list their DND app on the App Store, Apple did not let this happen, stating that the app violates Apple’s privacy policy. According to their policy, Apple does not allow sharing of user data with any other entity. Now the TRAI app accesses and shares spam call and message records with the regulator.
It is due to this sharing of data that Apple is not allowing TRAI to enlist the DND application on their App Store. Mr. Ram Sewak Sharma, Chairman, TRAI commented on the situation, “Nobody’s asking Apple to violate its privacy policy. It is a ridiculous situation, no company can be allowed to be the guardian of a user’s data.”
While Apple has not commented on the standoff so far, TRAI is reportedly seeking public and stakeholder’s consultation for standardizing rules of data flow and information control in the hands of users. With new regulations to surface, Apple is probably in for a setback from the telecom regulator.
