We shouldn't call it "cyber safety" as that is a loaded phrase here. Obviously other considerations were part of it.

That is how they ramped up enrollment in Aadhaar UID.

India: Every phone must install a cyber safety app

Apple: No

India: OK, nevermind

?

1. Most Indian bureaucracy is clueless about tech things, and just goes by whatever somebody who sounds like techy enough is selling them. Which in this case I'm guessing is a data mining company/lobby.

2. The information derived can be used for various purposes. Plotting election trends, economics, spotting general trends pro/against politics and other nefarious causes. etc.

3. Spying.

4. Using information to go after political opponents.

5. Demographic targeting, which in Indian context almost always means a pogrom against groups, which other groups don't like.

6. Selling data to commercial entities for better targeting, or even social engineering buying choices etc.

There could be many others. But its kind of nice that it was taken back. Having said this, it will be pushed again at some point when people are busy with a crisis and this will be sold as a fix.

Policy that is hard to pass: SIM binding for all messenger apps and automatic log out every 6 hours for desktop apps.

Even more egregious policy: Pre-install spyware that cannot be disabled.

Withdraw the egregious policy on outrage, and people think they have won the battle.

Read between the lines?

> Given Sanchar Saathi’s increasing acceptance, Government has decided not to make the pre- installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers.