The Centre’s move to mandate the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones, followed by its hasty withdrawal, holds important lessons on how not to implement digital policy in a democracy. The intent — protecting users from rampant cyber fraud and misuse of mobile connections — is timely and necessary. The method — a directive compelling smartphone manufacturers to preload the app and making it impossible for users to disable it — was unfortunate and proved counterproductive.

Amidst rampant digital fraud, there is a genuine need for simple tools that empower users to safeguard their devices and identities. By design, Sanchar Saathi offers meaningful features. It allows users to block and track lost or stolen phones through the device’s IMEI, a unique identification number. It helps citizens c

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