Comment by Animats
Comment by Animats 2 days ago
What does this app actually do, in detail? Anyone know?
Comment by Animats 2 days ago
What does this app actually do, in detail? Anyone know?
How does an app inspect other app's storage data (like whatsapp). I thought Android security model blocked that. Does it have root access?
It doesn’t matter what the app does today it can be made to do anything they want after the fact. Monitor speech, location, contacts, content, preserve evidence for prosecution, inspection your dinner choices or your sexual habits.
This is on the far end of the spectrum of bad.
> It doesn’t matter what the app does today it can be made to do anything they want after the fact.
This is an extremely important point of universal application that can't be emphasized too much.
Even if one agrees with a current politician's position, once the precedent is set, there's nothing stopping an administration down the line extending the reach of an already installed and by then socially accepted mechanism.
Someone called this the "totalitarian tip toe"; that guy (who shall rename unnamed) was "a bit weird", but his concept stands anyway imo.
When the app is mandated installed then user permissions are also moot. It will have full access an app can have.
This seems to be the app: https://www.sancharsaathi.gov.in/
Looks like it's quire popular/established already, with over 10 million downloads. Basically a "portal" for basic digital safety/hygiene related services.
Quoting Perplexity regarding what facilities the app offers:
1. Chakshu: Report suspicious calls, SMS, or WhatsApp for scams like impersonation, fake investments, or KYC frauds.
2. Block Lost/Stolen Phones: Trace and block devices across all telecom networks using IMEI; track if reactivated.
3. Check Connections in Your Name: View and disconnect unauthorized numbers linked to your ID.
4. Verify Device Genuineness: Confirm if a phone (new or used) is authentic before purchase.