Fighting Spam in India
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This post has been created on Fighting Spam in India  is based on article “How is TRAI and the govt. combating spam? published in The Hindu on 20th January 2025.

UPSC Syllabus topic: GS Paper 2- Governance

Context: The article discusses the measures taken by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Indian government to combat unsolicited commercial communications (UCC), commonly known as spam. It highlights TRAI’s regulatory framework and recent advancements, including the adoption of distributed ledger technology (DLT) to trace and monitor spam messages effectively.

What is TRAI’s role in combating spam?

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) oversees the telecom sector and regulates Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC) or spam. Key measures include:

  1. Do-Not-Disturb (DND) Registry (2007): Allows users to opt out of spam calls and messages.
  2. TCCCPR, 2018 Regulations: Telemarketers violating DND preferences face warnings and potential blacklisting.
  3. DND App: Facilitates user registration for DND and complaint filing. From 2024, DND reporting was integrated into telecom providers’ apps for user convenience.

What is a Do-Not-Disturb (DND) Registry?

A DND registry allows telecom customers to block spam calls and messages by registering their preferences. Telemarketers are required to honor these preferences or face regulatory action.

What role does blockchain technology play in fighting spam?

TRAI mandated the use of blockchain (distributed ledger technology) under the 2018 TCCCPR to:

  1. Maintain an immutable list of approved SMS senders and templates.
  2. Ensure traceability of messages to track their origin.
  3. Prevent fraudulent or spam messages by requiring sender IDs instead of phone numbers.

Enhancements in 2024 included:

  • Tightened rules to track message origins before they reach SMS gateways, addressing system loopholes that allowed fraudsters to misuse the network.

Have these measures been effective?

  1. Positive Impact: Legitimate businesses adhering to rules have reduced spam for users with registered DND preferences.
  2. Challenges:
    1. Evolving spam tactics include fraudulent calls, disposable 10-digit phone numbers, and scams from international VoIP numbers.
    2. Cyber fraud incidents remain prevalent due to technological loopholes and international origins of spam calls.

What other steps has the government taken to curb spam?

  1. Sanchar Saathi Portal: Includes the Chakshu platform for reporting fraudulent calls and messages.
  2. Telecom Security Operation Centre: Real-time monitoring of suspicious internet traffic.
  3. Number Deactivation: DoT has canceled lakhs of numbers linked to unauthorized telemarketers and scammers.
  4. AI-Based Spam Detection: Telecom providers like Airtel use AI to label calls as “Suspected Spam” and identify international calls on smartphones.

How will these measures evolve in the future?

TRAI aims to further strengthen spam regulations, improve enforcement, and ensure that legitimate communication is not hindered while combating new forms of spam and fraud.


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