BENGALURU: Amnesty International has raised alarms about India’s potential move to require constant satellite location tracking on phones for better law enforcement. The organization stated that this plan poses significant risks to the safety of human rights defenders.
The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been advocating for telecommunications companies to provide more accurate locations for individuals under investigation. Telecom operators suggest that the most effective way to achieve this is for the government to instruct smartphone manufacturers to enable permanent location tracking on devices. According to reports, the government is currently reviewing this proposal.
However, major smartphone companies like Apple, Google, and Samsung have expressed strong opposition to this idea, citing concerns about privacy and security.
In a statement, Amnesty International highlighted that location data can reveal intimate details about a person’s life, including private connections like sources for journalists or human rights advocates. They emphasized that the current global environment of rising surveillance threats calls for governments to improve privacy protections rather than demand more sensitive information from citizens.
The Indian government’s IT and home ministries, which are assessing the proposal, have not yet responded to inquiries regarding the backlash.
Amnesty has previously criticized India’s surveillance efforts, including allegations that the government used Pegasus spyware to target journalists and activists—claims that officials have denied.
Recently, a heated privacy debate sparked in India after reports of a government directive to install a state-run cyber safety app on all smartphones. Due to widespread protests from activists and lawmakers who feared increased surveillance, the government had to revoke the order.
Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned India’s direction towards becoming a “Surveillance State” on X, condemning the location tracking proposal. Many Indian users echoed his concerns on social media, likening phones to “digital ankle monitors.”
