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HYDERABAD: While Google owned up the issue of UIDAI contact being added automatically into the address book of people, there were several unanswered questions such as on whose order, the firm had hard-coded the number. Google in its statement on Friday said, “Our internal review has revealed that in 2014, the then UIDAI helpline number and the 112 distress helpline number were inadvertently coded into the set up wizard of Android release given to OEMs for use in India and has remained there since.” However, open source specialists quickly started looking at the OEM code of Android operating system. They found that these two numbers are mentioned as ‘Required Contacts for India’ in the code.

Google in its statement on Friday said: “Our internal review has revealed that in 2014, the then UIDAI helpline number and the 112 distress helpline number were inadvertently coded into the set up wizard of Android release given to OEMs for use in India and has remained there since.” However, open source specialists quickly started looking at the OEM code of Android operating system. They found that these two numbers are mentioned as ‘Required Contacts for India’ in the code.

Experts opined that Google is not transparent and its trust is at stake as they claim to have added the number in 2014, but the distress number came into vogue in 2017. Anivar Aravind, policy researcher, who first identified that UIDAI contact as being added in 2017 itself alleged that UIDAI has been back channeling with many mobile companies. He told DC: “As part of their registered device strategy, UIDAI wanted to put Aadhaar encryption for finger printing on phone which in itself was killing the privacy of a person.

This happened in 2016 wherein UIDAI wanted built-in Aadhaar certified biometric sensors on a phone. Google, adding UIDAI contact to address book, seemed to have happened around the same time and its claim that it happened in 2014 is purportedly wrong. Having the contact is not harmful, but the user’s consent has taken a toll”. In July 2016, UIDAI and product software think tank iSPIRT apparently discussed with senior executives of Smartphone makers Apple, Samsung, Google, Microsoft and Micromax on ways to make mobile phone handsets Aadhaar-Enabled.

Furthermore, adding 112 as distress number went through a process and establishment order and the audits were visible. So, there is no point in questioning the distress number. However, Google, without any government order, went ahead with adding the number. “We cannot just see these claims as regular denial of UIDAI but to understand it as it is as a malicious attempt to gaslight citizens of India. Adding UIDAI’s helpline number to your Smartphones without consent could be the tip of iceberg,” alleged Ranjith Raj of Swecha who has been actively campaigning against Aadhaar.

Code inside Android operating system. Picture shared by Internet Researcher Anivar Aravind.

Meanwhile, even iphone users claimed that they have the number listed, even though they never used Andriod devices. According to sources in Apple: “There is categorically no means for the contact to be added by the company. It is possible that the Gmail account is synced to iCloud. Each needs to be seen on case by case basis”. An Internet activist Kingsly John said: “Since Google claims to be doing this from 2014, there are chances that the UIDAI contact has been added through some App or service provider. Apps regularly demand way too many permissions than necessary.”

A Government Order has been asking Telecom operators to direct calls to 1947.

This has surfaced on social media. The helpline number 1800-300-1947 was handled by Reliance Communications Ltd which shut its shop, so that the operators were asked to redirect calls to 1947.

Avoid sending fake messages: Experts

Following the revelation of UIDAI number being saved by default in people’s phone contact list, fake messages reading ‘Presence of UIDAI number means somebody is trying to hack your personal information from your mobile’ are being circulated on Whatsapp. A message read: “Hiii all, pls check your phone book if any new contact got added today, contact name is UIDAI.. I found it got auto added today in my contact book. If u find in yours pls delete as soon as possible. Somebody trying to hack your personal information from your mobile”(sic).

Likewise another message read: “A phone number by the name of *UIDAI* with number *1800-300-1947* has been mysteriously been added to the Contacts. I just checked my Contacts, it's there in my Contacts. So agencies can now access anything on our phones... i just deleted it so u all too pls its released on all TV media als pls ck..” (sic)

Experts advise people to refrain from sending such messages. A senior Hyderabad police official said: “The contact number can be deleted. It is not going to hack your personal information. People need to be careful about the apps they are installing on their phone”. Meanwhile, Google has turned into a humorous affair after it confessed of adding the UIDAI contact. A user tweeted: “August15 is around the corner, so UIDAI is making you realise the importance of 1947 (sic)”.