India Considers Surveillance Measures for Smartphones Amid Privacy Concerns

India is facing significant backlash over the government's consideration of a proposal for always-on satellite tracking for smartphones, utilizing Assisted GPS or A-GPS technology. This proposal, driven by the Cellular Operators Association of India, aims to enhance the precision of location tracking for law enforcement, which currently relies on less accurate cellular tower data.

According to 9to5Mac, this measure would require A-GPS to be permanently activated on all devices, with no option for users to disable it. Companies like Apple and Google have expressed strong opposition, describing the proposal as a regulatory overreach that raises severe privacy and legal concerns.

Engadget reports that privacy advocates fear this move could lead to constant surveillance of the entire population, undermining individual privacy rights. The Indian government had recently backtracked on another controversial requirement to preinstall a state-run security app, heightening scrutiny over its surveillance policies.

As of now, a meeting between government officials and smartphone industry executives to discuss this proposal has been postponed, indicating ongoing deliberations around the implications of such surveillance measures.