According to recent reports, the Government of India has decided to go
after companies including Google and Skype, after cracking down on
BlackBerry in the quest to keep it’s mobile phone market safe from
militants and cyber spying. Wherever there is a concern on grounds of
national security the India government wants access and lawful
interference to the mobile network.
According to Reuters, the Indian authorities have for more than a
year been looking at Google’s messaging, Skype and other providers of
communication in India. They have already forced mobile phone operators
to follow strict import rules when buying telecoms network equipment.
India has given Research In Motion (RIM) until August 31 to comply
with a request to gain access to encrypted corporate email and messaging
services using BlackBerry or those services will be shut. A shutdown
would hit one million users in India out of the 41 million smartphone
users. India is one of RIM’s fastest growing markets.
It is said that RIM agreed to give Saudi Arabia authorities codes for
BlackBerry Messenger users. The United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and
Algeria also seek access. India wants access to encrypted data in a
readable format, a demand RIM is resisting. RIM had proposed tracking
emails without sharing encryption details, but that was not enough for
the authorities.
RIM, unlike rivals Nokia and Apple, operates its own network through
secure servers located in Canada and other countries, such as Britain.
If a shutdown takes effect, BlackBerry users in India would only be able
to use the devices for calls and Internet browsing.
0 comments:
Post a Comment