[xcentrk]

Originally Posted by ABHI_1512

I am a dinosaur perhaps but then that’s not the point. Somehow these third party apps that wants to access your phonebook always sounded a scary prospect for me. Have not installed True caller and perhaps I am of the few who doesn’t have a Paytm or Google pay. All these digital payment gateways don’t excite me.

True caller might have advantages but one thing that I have done is register my mobile in the DND list of the operators to avoid unwanted calls. Of course they still happen but not as random as it used to happen earlier. Pesky calls don’t happen too often and those who do get through have to deal with me not picking up random numbers from Tirupati or Ahmadabad !

You are not alone. I am another dinosaur. I don't have TrueCaller,GPay, PayTm, PhonePe etc and I still transfer money from NetBanking services provided by Banks. I don't install any unnecessary apps and if required, I will purchase the script for as low as 20$ to as high as 100$, strip them off all data sharing codes and use it for my purpose. Even to scan photo's I bought source code from someone for 25$ and removed ads. You can call me whatever you want, but I am not going to willingly give away my activities to someone!

I work in IT, and I work extensively with Mobile Applications and cloud solutions. And I don't have any unnecessary apps installed in my primary phone. Especially TrueCaller! I see how and what data pulled from mobiles when an app is installed and kind of analysis they do with those data. Sometime I feel scared by what they can do with those data! For someone saying giving numbers is not a big deal, I agree. But you are not only giving numbers, but you give other information as well!

I am against TrueCaller because it is not only taking my identity but all of my contacts as well. This is my major grouse. And I am not a person who gives his number wherever I go. I have a imaginary number for such purposes. I register my number in the DND to avoid spam calls.

What I wonder, when people use TrueCaller is, Google Phone app has block/spam option. If someone flag it as spam, you can view it and you can flag it. Moreover if you register with DND, chances of spam calls is less. So why not register with DND and then whine about getting spam calls, and have a solution to filter those spam calls is beyond any logic!

I don't have FB, Twitter and the only one who I willingly give data is Google. Even in that case, I turned of all activity monitoring options and you will not find a trace of anything from my own google account. I know Google is not good guys, but they are lesser evil in my opinion.

[RedTerrano]

Read quite a lot of opinions in this topic, both for/against privacy. Once upon a time I was also enthusiastic about guarding my privacy. Then I realised, my own bank sells my data. My own Govt spams me (LIC).
Fortunately Android has a selective permission model for apps. That way one can safeguard personal data (to a reasonable extent). On the flip side, if you deny certain permissions, the app might not work correctly.

I don't care much about spam anymore. When I am working, I activate DnD. If I see a missed call from a known number, I call back.

[xcentrk]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

Fortunately Android has a selective permission model for apps. That way one can safeguard personal data (to a reasonable extent). On the flip side, if you deny certain permissions, the app might not work correctly.

I don't care much about spam anymore. When I am working, I activate DnD. If I see a missed call from a known number, I call back.

I agree with the highlighted sentence. In the end, it is personal preference. If people willing to let go their privacy, it's their choice.

But as a person working closely in mobile space, after I see the kind of analytics and data capturing in these apps, I became extra-cautious.

[prsnck]

Team,

I'm not a core digital or app based person, rather all into machine and torque

Never have installed True caller app or know the pros and cons. Wanted to share this, if anyone else experienced the same.

I have sold and bought car via social media platforms say the online platform for cars & used items. Off late from last 6 months whomever of my friend having the True Caller installed in their phone has informed me this.

My Name is displayed and below is given "car dealership". Do you think this is fair guys. I'm not a car dealer or owns any dealership, rather like to be away from all the dealers. I'm a genuine vintage car enthusiast still living my life on the Balenos and Type 2 OHC's.

I know my quest for vintage cars and jeeps continues like a passion for these old collectibles, but I don't want to be listed as a car dealer for anyone that is known and unknown to me. Any ideas or thoughts how to get rid of this.


Regards

[xcentrk]

Originally Posted by prsnck

...

I know my quest for vintage cars and jeeps continues like a passion for these old collectibles, but I don't want to be listed as a car dealer for anyone that is known and unknown to me. Any ideas or thoughts how to get rid of this.

Regards

You can try unlist your number.

https://www.truecaller.com/unlisting

[prsnck]

Originally Posted by xcentrk

You can try unlist your number.

https://www.truecaller.com/unlisting

Thanks xcentrk, I have did the same. Hope it get resolved. Appreciate the help

[RedTerrano]

Originally Posted by prsnck

My Name is displayed and below is given "car dealership". Do you think this is fair guys.

You should call yourself lucky, you are not a pharmacist, else it would have been "drug dealer"

[v1p3r]

Truecaller is dying. They have no monetization strategy, and investors are losing patience fast. It was a nice utility when it came out, but it remained at that level. Phone makers are now installing their own ID software - Android One, Google Pixel etc. - and this will further negate TC's cachet. The vast data set that they sit on - names and phone numbers, that too mostly Indian - is not very valuable, so they cannot sell out easily, unlike a Shazam or Darksky. Believe me, they've tried.

As for privacy, you've got to be kidding me. All Aadhaar info and biometrics are freely available to anyone who wants to pay a few cents, and are being stored on CCP and PLA databases, and here we're worried about phone numbers going to these guys?

[Ford5]

Truecaller goads users onto buying premium and tricks us into thinking we can see who has viewed our number, which in settings can be turned off and the premium blocking option which can be availed for free by disabling incoming calls for numbers not in the phonebook, with a work around to lookup such numbers with missed call reminder in settings incase they're required, like delivery boys, courier services etc). Also the other jumlas the app throws up with Gold caller ID etc, is just a diversion to make you part with your money.

Many app reviewers complain of having paid 5,000 rupees premium membership money and not able to use this functionality because rarely does anybody venture into settings, much like a cell phone manual that is seldom read.

Secondly for iOS users, the so called Live-ID workaround that they talk about is useless (they even have a blog which talks about them being very diligent with iOS) because the caller has to be using Truecaller, and not every body holds their phone in their palms 24X7 as Truecaller thinks for the call notification to pop up and be seen for a split second before the full call screen takes over.

And lastly the menace of default SMS, it begs you throughout the day to set it as a default SMS app. UPI codes, bank account numbers, sensitive texts from healthcare providers etc all go to their servers and they use precisely this info to target spam us. They even provide UPI access now, which is really risky. The only real use i find for truecaller is texting someone on flash message which pops up like a full screen on the true caller app regardless of what app is running in the foreground (old days of flash messaging with USSD codes which Airtel still uses to spam users today with HDFC ads) because Whatsapps/SMS just go unnoticed by very busy people! They even have a few US exclusive Android-Android features not available in India and their website shows the same spam info that is an upcoming feature.

I have extensively used Truecaller since college days of Nokia Symbian, Blackberry BB7/BB10, Android 4 onwards and iOS 6 onwards (incidentally iOS 6 was the last OS to support screenshot during call and number retrieval to work around Apple's policies).

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by v1p3r

Truecaller is dying. They have no monetization strategy, and investors are losing patience fast. It was a nice utility when it came out, but it remained at that level. Phone makers are now installing their own ID software - Android One, Google Pixel etc. - and this will further negate TC's cachet. The vast data set that they sit on - names and phone numbers, that too mostly Indian - is not very valuable, so they cannot sell out easily, unlike a Shazam or Darksky. Believe me, they've tried.

So true. Similar to JustDial in a way if I may draw a comparison. Their services aren't unique and not worth to be monetized in the long run unless they reinvent their services.

Originally Posted by v1p3r

As for privacy, you've got to be kidding me. All Aadhaar info and biometrics are freely available to anyone who wants to pay a few cents, and are being stored on CCP and PLA databases, and here we're worried about phone numbers going to these guys?

I hope someday in the distant future, the #PrivacyMatters movement gets attention in India.

P.S: If you are concerned about TrueCaller (rightfully so) then please try scanners like DuckDuckGo or Ghostery to get a view of the sheer number of advertising related trackers that monitor your activity while you are reading this very thread. Check the Cookie settings for a site like AirBnb and you'll probably find that AirBnb shares activity with LinkedIn if you don't disable the relevant cookie. Phone numbers are just tip of the iceberg.

[prsnck]

Originally Posted by RedTerrano

You should call yourself lucky, you are not a pharmacist, else it would have been "drug dealer"

haha lol.....goes a lot beyond imaginations..Into Jewellery -> Gold Dealer.

Don't want to think too much with the advent of AI and ML whatever we post in social media and threads there will be a day these digital cloud technology will pick and choose for various investigations !

[satyamkolhe]

Originally Posted by haisaikat

I am NOT at all comfortable sharing my contact book to unknown people without the explicit consent of my contacts considering how easily these contacts are sold to 3rd parties online (not even fancy dark web)

While we might not be comfortable with sharing our contact book with truecaller, they will still have all our contact details and of those in our contact book because someone having our contact information will be using truecaller. So at this point, the popularity of truecaller in India is such even if many people don't like the app, they will still have all the information they need for the app to work. That information will inturn bring in more users for them.

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by satyamkolhe

While we might not be comfortable with sharing our contact book with truecaller, they will still have all our contact details and of those in our contact book because someone having our contact information will be using truecaller.

What is we unlist as I have done with all my phones? Will they still have the right to retain any existing data?

https://www.truecaller.com/unlisting

[satyamkolhe]

Originally Posted by itwasntme

What is we unlist as I have done with all my phones? Will they still have the right to retain any existing data?

https://www.truecaller.com/unlisting

Yes of course they will still have your data. But other users will not be able to get your name when they look up in the app.
But there is a catch, the data is also stored locally in the user's device. So if someone has searched for your number before you unlisted, they still can again get your details, even after you have unlisted from truecaller directory.

[Sutripta]

In the days of yore (ie landlines) we used to have a telephone directory. And horror of horrors, it even listed our addresses. Its an useful service, and I would not really club it with invasion of privacy. (Though in today's world where the mobile number acts as ones defacto identity, with sensitive information being sent by SMS, I would be less sanguine).
On the other hand, harvesting and collating data from contact lists is definitely a huge problem.

Initially receiving a call for a minute cost more than Rs16. No one wanted unnecessary calls. So the need for unlisted numbers, and incoming call screening. (In the early application forms unlisted number was a checkbox option). But there was no publicly available directory (remember, we all wanted unlisted numbers) and CLI was just half the solution. This need is why apps like Truecaller grew.

But the contact list contains far more, and far more private information than just a public directory. It tells who I consider to be a first order (one hop) contact. And it tells how I refer to them. eg. if my contact list has the number of a mover and shaker, (or a dreaded criminal!) and I refer to that person by nickname, or by something like 'chacha' etc, it gives out quite a bit of information. Have enough such contact lists, add call records to the mix, and you can be profiled quite accurately.

Uploading contact lists is a disservice to yourself and a breach of trust to your contacts.

Sutripta