Context: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) will be using distributed ledger technology (DLT) to register spam preferences from customers, in order to reduce spam.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Spams, associated challenges and role of TRAI in controlling them.
What are Spams?
- Spams or Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC) refer to any unsolicited, usually irrelevant or inappropriate messages, sent over digital channels like email, SMS, or social media.
- Acts involved in spamming:
- Bulk messaging
- System generated phone calls
- Identity theft
Issues associated with spams in India
- Privacy invasion: Spam calls often involve the collection of personal data. E.g., Fake lottery scams request sensitive information like bank details.
- Harassment: Persistent unsolicited calls for marketing disturb consumers leading to frustration of customers.
- Financial fraud: Spammers use misleading offers such as fake loan schemes, to defraud individuals by convincing them to share financial or personal details.
- Phishing: Using fraudulent messaging or calls to trick people with authentic looking phone numbers and system domains.
- Evolving methodology: The spam operators continuously change the modus-operandi and content modulation to breach blocking.
Initiatives to Control Spam
- Do not Disturb (DND): TRAI has initiated the “do not disturb” policy for consumers allowing them to block commercial communications.
- AI-driven Anti-Spam mechanism: Telecom providers use AI to detect and block spam messages in real-time. E.g., Airtel initiative to declare suspicious calls using AI as “suspected spam”.
- Blockchain usage: Using blockchain ledgers to protect sensitive information. E.g., Changing variables to spaced or masking of variables like “Your OTP is 112132” will be changed to “Your OTP is *******” to protect sensitive information.
- Complaint Portal: Department of Telecommunications has launched the Sanchar Sathi portal which has a reporting site called Chakshu for complaining of spam calls.
- Migration for Telemarketing calls to Distributed Ledger Technology platform: With effect from October 2024, Telemarketing calls starting with the 140xx numbering series have been migrated to the DLT platform for strict monitoring and control.
- DLT platform is a block-chain based registration system adopted to keep records of all transactions exchanged between network participants.
Acts to Combat Spam in India
- Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR), 2018: This sets guidelines for telemarketers, ensuring that only opted-in customers receive marketing calls or messages.
- Information Technology (Reasonable Security Practices and Procedures and Sensitive Personal Data or Information) Rules, 2011: Regulates the collection, processing, and storage of personal data to prevent misuse for spamming.
- Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) Act, 1997: Empowers TRAI to regulate telecommunication services, including measures against spam.
What more can be done?
- Stronger penalties: Enforcing higher penalties for spammers, such as the US introduced penalties like the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
- Special numbers: Introducing special and designated numbers or code for the financial intermediaries.
- Consumer awareness: Spreading awareness among people about consumer rights and means to block spam numbers. E.g., European Union’s anti-spam measures to empower people.
- Strengthening VoI: The voice over internet monitoring to control spam needs to be strengthened by authenticating genuine numbers.
About TRAI
- Telecom Regulatory Authority of India is a statutory body established under the Telecom regulatory Authority of India Act. 1997.
- Main functions of the body are as follows:
- Regulating telecommunication services
- Promote competition among firms
- Protect consumer’s interests in India’s telecom sector.
- TRAI regulates and seeks implementation of Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preference Regulations (TCCCPR) which are guidelines for telemarketers, ensuring consumers only receive opted-in communications.
Conclusion: India has taken significant steps to combat spam, including regulatory measures like the Do Not Disturb (DND) service and strict telemarketer guidelines. TRAI’s initiatives, alongside public awareness efforts, aim to reduce spam and protect consumers. Continued technological advancements and awareness campaigns are crucial for further success.