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TRAI Steps Up Efforts to Combat Spam Using Technology
Context
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has announced new measures to tackle spam messages and calls, with a focus on improving the existing systems and using new technologies like blockchain to ensure better traceability of commercial messages.
What is TRAI’s Role in Fighting Spam?
- TRAI regulates the telecom industry in India, and its main job in this area is to control Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC), commonly known as spam.
- Since 2007, TRAI has implemented a Do-Not-Disturb (DND) registry, allowing telecom customers to sign up so they don’t receive unwanted commercial calls or messages. If someone registers on the DND list, telemarketers are legally required to respect that preference.
- What Has TRAI Done So Far?
- TRAI developed a DND app for customers to set their preferences and file complaints against spam messages. This app allows users to easily block telemarketers.
- In 2018, TRAI implemented the Telecom Commercial Communication Customer Preference Regulation (TCCCPR), which introduced stricter rules. Under these regulations, telemarketers who violate DND rules receive warnings, and after multiple violations, they can be blacklisted from sending messages.
- Although the DND app faced technical issues and was unavailable for a while in 2022, TRAI worked on improving it and mandated that DND reporting should be available through telecom providers’ apps in 2024.
How Does Blockchain Help in Fighting Spam?
In the fight against spam, TRAI has made blockchain technology a key tool. Telecom companies are required to use blockchain to maintain an updated list of approved senders for SMS messages. This list ensures that only verified businesses can send messages to customers.
- Blockchain provides immutability, meaning data cannot be tampered with. This technology ensures that every participant in the system has the same, unchangeable data, making it easier to trace spam messages.
- TRAI’s 2024 update tightened the rules around message traceability. This ensures that telecom companies have a complete record of who sent a message, preventing fraudulent messages or spam from slipping through the system.
- Other Steps to Combat Spam: The government has launched several other initiatives to fight spam:
- The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has set up the Sanchar Saathi portal with a feature called Chakshu, where people can report suspected fraudulent calls and messages.
- The Telecom Security Operation Centre (TSOC) monitors suspicious internet traffic in real-time to identify scams.
Fact Box:About TRAI
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