LIVE TV
ZEE Business
ZEE BUSINESS
हिंदी में पढ़ें  हिंदी में पढ़ें
Live TV
Live TV
  • Home
  • Budget 2021
  • Personal Finance
    • PPF
    • Mutual Funds
    • Income tax
    • EPFO
    • Income Tax Calculator
    • Personal Loan Calculator
    • Car Loan Calculator
    • Home Loan Calculator
    • SIP calculator
    • SWP Calculator
    • MF Returns Calculator
    • Lumpsum Calculator
  • India
    • Companies
    • Property
    • Startups
    • Uidai
  • Economy
    • Aviation
  • Tech
    • Mobiles
    • Apps
  • Auto
    • Cars
    • Bikes
  • Markets
    • Commodities
    • Currency
  • Jobs
  • Indian Railways
  • World
    • Economy
    • Politics
    • Markets
  • videos
  • photos
  • Authors
  • More ...
    • VIDEOS
    • PHOTOS
Read in App
Business News » Companies News

UIDAI row: Google apologises; says Aadhaar toll free not "inadvertently" coded into setup of Android

Amid public outrage over Aadhaar helpline number being pre-stored without user consent on certain mobile phones, Google tonight apologised for "inadvertently" loading the old UIDAI helpline number and 112 helpline number into the 'setup wizard' of Android phones.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • whatapp
  • View in App
UIDAI row: Google apologises; says Aadhaar toll free not "inadvertently" coded into setup of Android
Google said it will "work towards fixing this in an upcoming release of SetUp wizard which will be made available to OEMs over the next few weeks". Image source: Reuters
Written By: PTI
Updated: Sat, Aug 04, 2018
10:23 am
PTI
RELATED NEWS
Google fires 150 game developers hired for Stadia: Report Google fires 150 game developers hired for Stadia: Report
This country passes law to make Google, Facebook pay for news  This country passes law to make Google, Facebook pay for news
Now you can share apps on Android using 'Nearby Share' | Check all details here Now you can share apps on Android using 'Nearby Share' | Check all details here
Google Play Music app user? Beware, your library will be deleted on this date! Take this action now Google Play Music app user? Beware, your library will be deleted on this date! Take this action now
Google Chrome 88 update fixes key zero-day bug Google Chrome 88 update fixes key zero-day bug

Amid public outrage over Aadhaar helpline number being pre-stored without user consent on certain mobile phones, Google tonight apologised for "inadvertently" loading the old UIDAI helpline number and 112 helpline number into the 'setup wizard' of Android phones. "Our internal review has revealed that in 2014, the then UIDAI helpline number and the 112 distress helpline number were inadvertently coded into the setup wizard of the Android release given to OEMs (Original equipment manufacturers) for use in India and has remained there since.

"Since the numbers get listed on a user's contact list these get transferred accordingly to the contacts on any new device," a Google spokesperson said in a statement.  Google apologised for the same and said the numbers can be manually deleted from the phones. It also promised to fix the same in future editions of its setup wizard.
"We are sorry for any concern that this might have caused, and would like to assure everyone that this is not a situation of an unauthorised access of their Android devices. Users can manually delete the number from their devices," the statement added. 

The tech titan said it will "work towards fixing this in an upcoming release of SetUp wizard which will be made available to OEMs over the next few weeks". Earlier today Aadhaar-issuing authority UIDAI had said it has not asked any phone maker or telecom service provider to include its toll-free number on mobile phones, as it tried to assuage user concerns relating to the invasion of privacy.

Watch this Zee Business video here:

Telecom operators' body COAI too said none of its members had pre-loaded any unknown numbers on any mobile phone. The clarification had come on reports that many Android-operating system run mobile phones listed by default the Aadhaar helpline number 1800-300-1947. UIDAI said the number 1800-300-1947 appearing in the contact list of Android phones was an "outdated and invalid" helpline number.

Defending itself after drawing flak on social media over the default inclusion of the number in mobile phone contact list, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) had said that, "...The said 18003001947 is not a valid UIDAI toll free number and some vested interests are trying to create unwarranted confusion in the public". The UIDAI's valid toll free number is 1947, which is functional for more than the last two years, it had said.

The appearance of the number on smartphones had caused a social media furore, as users expressed concerns over how the helpline number had snuck into their smartphone contact list. #UIDAI was trending on the micro-blogging site as the Twitterati sought to unravel the mystery, and questioned the "breach of privacy". Yesterday, a French security expert who goes under the pseudonym Elliot Alderson and describes himself as "worst nightmare" of the UIDAI had tweeted, "Hi @UIDAI, Many people, with different provider, with and without an #Aadhaar card, with and without the mAadhaar app installed, noticed that your phone number is predefined in their contact list by default and so without their knowledge. Can you explain why?" 

The UIDAI controversy, second in the last one week, comes at a time and the Supreme Court has reserved its judgement on a clutch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of Aadhaar Act. There are also heightened concerns over personal information being allegedly compromised in some instances with increasing use of biometric identifier Aadhaar in an array of services.  

Get Latest Business News, Stock Market Updates and Videos; Check your tax outgo through Income Tax Calculator and save money through our Personal Finance coverage. Check Business Breaking News Live on Zee Business Twitter and Facebook. Subscribe on YouTube.

TAGS:
GoogleUIDAIAadhaar
RELATED NEWS
Google fires 150 game developers hired for Stadia: Report Google fires 150 game developers hired for Stadia: Report
This country passes law to make Google, Facebook pay for news  This country passes law to make Google, Facebook pay for news
Now you can share apps on Android using 'Nearby Share' | Check all details here Now you can share apps on Android using 'Nearby Share' | Check all details here
Google Play Music app user? Beware, your library will be deleted on this date! Take this action now Google Play Music app user? Beware, your library will be deleted on this date! Take this action now
Google Chrome 88 update fixes key zero-day bug Google Chrome 88 update fixes key zero-day bug

LATEST NEWS

Punjab Budget is populist, woos farmers, government employees

Gold prices down Rs 122, silver up Rs 587

BJP Bengal candidate list 2021: Full details of vidhan sabha constituency wise names, numbers

Rajasthan University exams 2021 to begin on THIS date—check new exam duration, Covid 19 guidelines and other changes

Asus ROG Phone 5 set to launch in India on March 10: Here's all you need to know

On Women's day, top stocks to buy for bumper returns are Titan, Avenue Supermarts, Bata India

LIVE: JEE MAIN RESULT February 2021: LIVE: Announcement anytime now! Answer Key PDF Download, Date, Time, NTA Link jeemain.nta.nic.in, Check Latest Updates

Indian Army Recruitment 2021: Pay up to Rs 1,77,500 after training! Check vacancy details, last date to apply, age limit, and other details here

Yes Bank Share price: Target price Rs 14, Anand Rathi maintains Sell rating | Earning, valuation and key risks

Happy International Women's Day: Check best WhatsApp wishes, quotes, messages fo your loved ones

  • India News
  • World News
  • Companies News
  • Market News
  • Personal Finance News
  • Technology News
  • Automobile News
  • Small Business News
  • Income Tax Calculator
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Photos
  • Author
  • Rss Feed
  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal Disclaimer

Latest Trending Updates

  • EPFO
  • Budget 2020
  • Income Tax Return
  • Auto Expo 2020
  • Home Loan
  • Business News

Trending Topics

  • Income Tax
  • income Tax Calculator
  • 7th Pay Commission
  • Reserve Bank of India
  • GST
  • Latest Business News

Follow us on

zeebiz
zeebiz

Partner Sites

  • Zee News
  • Hindi News
  • Marathi News
  • Bengali News
  • Tamil News
  • Malayalam News
  • Gujarati News
  • Telugu News
  • Kannada News
  • DNA
  • WION
Copyright © Zee Media Corporation Ltd. All rights reserved