Truecaller will soon integrate its services into WhatsApp

Truecaller will soon integrate its caller identification services into WhatsApp and other messaging apps to help users spot spam calls on such platforms.

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SPAM MESSAGES AND CALLS ON APPS

According to a Reuters report, the integration with these messaging apps will help in identifying spam calls and reduce spam messages.

Reports show that spam calls have been on the rise in recent years, with a 2021 report from Truecaller revealing that users in India get approximately 17 spam calls a month on average.

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While the feature is still in a beta testing phase, CEO Alan Mamedi said the feature would roll out globally towards the end of May 2023.

Mamedi said that while switching to Internet calling in India was relatively new, telemarketers leverage the channel to attempt to sell their products to potential customers.

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Truecaller is currently in discussions with telecom operators in the country to implement a solution.

“Over the last two weeks, we have seen a spike in user reports from India about spam calls over WhatsApp,” said Mamedi.

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TRUECALLER VIOLATING THE PROTECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION ACT

According to a MyBroadband report in December 2022, it was said that Truecaller could violate the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) as it allows subscribers to upload other people’s names and numbers without their consent.

Although Truecaller attempts to make it the subscriber’s responsibility to confirm with the other party before uploading their details, this may not be enough.

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According to Werksmans Attorneys head of regulatory practice Ahmore Burger-Smidt, Truecaller should notify, by SMS or email, each person who is added to its database.

He concluded by adding that, it should then direct such individuals to the Truecaller privacy policy to highlight the data subject’s ability to delist from the Truecaller database.

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