There’s hardly a smartphone user who doesn’t use Truecaller or a similar app to identify calls from unknown numbers. These apps are also useful for avoiding spam calls, but now they are the government’s target. The country’s telecom regulator, TRAI, is preparing to take action against these call management apps.
To this end, TRAI has sought powers from the government under the IT Act, allowing it to take direct action against call management apps like Truecaller, Hiya, and Whoscall. Let’s find out why TRAI is considering taking action against apps like Truecaller?
The government has issued a special number series starting with the 1400 and 1600 series for companies and business communications. By law, these are legal commercial calls, but TRAI has received complaints that apps like Truecaller are also marking these numbers as spam or auto-blocking them.
Truecaller and other similar calling apps are not directly licensed by the Department of Telecommunications, unlike telecom operators like Jio and Airtel. These apps operate as intermediaries, subject to regulations from the Ministry of Electronics and IT. This is why TRAI is currently unable to take action on this matter.
TRAI wants to be declared an authorized agency under the IT Act, enabling it to directly send notices to apps violating the rules and take action against them. According to sources, the IT Ministry has agreed to this demand.
Officials say that important and government calls being marked as spam prevents important information from reaching people, which in turn leads companies to revert to calling from common 10-digit numbers, further increasing the number of spam calls.
A Truecaller spokesperson clarified the matter, stating that they comply with all TRAI regulations. The company claimed that even though they receive millions of spam reports against numbers in the 1400 or 1600 series, they do not tag or auto-block them as spam, as per TRAI guidelines.