Big Tech vs Govt: Centre Pushes Mandatory GPS Tracking On Smartphones, Apple, Google, Samsung Say ‘No’ – What We Know

The Modi government may be reviewing the possibility of mandatory GPS tracking through mobile devices despite the rejection from smartphone companies. This news comes after the government came backfoot on mandatory pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all mobile phones. The proposal for mandatory installation of the Sanchar Saathi app had sparked concerns from Parliament to social media regarding privacy and surveillance.  

The smartphone giants Apple and Samsung both refuses to accept the Modi government’s directive to pre-install the app. The opposition and tech experts argue that mandatory installation of Sanchar Saathi app could enable unchecked state surveillance and infringe on consumer choice. The GPS monitoring proposal has also received a similarly critical response. 

As per reports, the telecom industry shares the proposal for mandatory tracking.  

Forced tracking of location 

According to a report published in Reuters, the Modi government is now reviewing a telecom industry proposal that would make it mandatory for smartphone companies to enable satellite location tracking. The smartphone companies currently use an estimate area location using cellular tower data that can be turned off by several meters. As per reports the Cellular Operators Association of India has proposed that precise user locations be given to government if the government orders the smartphone companies to activate a GPS technology. GPS technology uses satellite signals and cellular data. The details were outlined in a June internal federal IT ministry email accessed by the news agency. 

Use of A-GPS technology would require location services to always be activated in smartphones with no option for users to disable the technology. Reuters quoted sources in the know to add that the global tech giants like Apple, Samsung and Alphabet’s Google have denied the government officials regarding the GPS mandate. 

India Cellular and Electronic Association, which represent both Apple and Google has reportedly denied the proposal. According to Reuters, the company has written a confidential letter to the government and told the government that a measure to track device-level location had no precedent anywhere else in the world. 

Reuters also said that the Home Ministry had planned a meeting of top smartphone industry executives to discuss the matter on Friday, but the meeting was postponed with home ministry.