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Truecaller Defends Itself Against South African Privacy Law Concerns
In South Africa, conversations around digital privacy often stir public debate, and the popular caller identification app Truecaller has found itself right in the middle of one. The company recently pushed back against claims that it breaks the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) by uploading users’ contacts into its database.
How Truecaller Explains Its Permissions
According to a Truecaller spokesperson, the belief that the app copies entire contact lists is simply a misconception. They argue that granting the app permission to access your phone book is not the same as uploading that data to their servers. Instead, the app checks whether an incoming call is from a number you have already saved. If it is saved, Truecaller does nothing. If not, the app quickly matches it against its global database to help users identify unknown callers in real time.
The company maintains that this process happens within milliseconds while the phone is ringing, and it insists that “contacts access does not equal contacts upload.”
The Legal Pushback
Not everyone is convinced. Legal experts in South Africa have long warned that Truecaller’s business model could be at odds with POPIA. One of the most vocal critics, Ahmore Burger-Smidt from Werksmans Attorneys, points out that personal information cannot simply be transferred abroad without specific safeguards in place.
She argues that Truecaller’s terms effectively shift responsibility to its users by requiring them to obtain consent before sharing contacts, but in legal terms, the company remains the “responsible party.” That means Truecaller cannot claim innocence simply because the data came from users.
Burger-Smidt also raises the concern that non-users may have their numbers stored in the app’s database without ever knowing it. While Truecaller allows people to “unlist” their numbers, many would not be aware their details are there in the first place. Her suggestion is straightforward: Truecaller should notify every person whose number is added, pointing them to the privacy policy and offering an immediate opt-out.
Balancing Privacy and Security
For Truecaller, the debate is about balance. The company emphasises that its service is designed to protect users against scams, spam, and fraud while preserving the ability to delist for anyone who does not wish to appear. “We try to make communication safe and trustful,” the company said, framing the service as a tool for consumer protection rather than intrusion.
This tension reflects a wider global challenge. South Africans are increasingly concerned about digital privacy, yet many still rely on services like Truecaller to avoid unwanted calls and potential fraudsters. On social media, users appear divided. Some praise the app as a “lifesaver” for filtering out scam calls, while others echo legal experts’ fears that it compromises personal information without enough transparency.
What This Means for South Africans
The debate is unlikely to go away soon. Truecaller continues to stand firm that it complies with South African law, while privacy advocates insist that the company must take stronger steps to notify and protect non-users. For everyday users, the issue boils down to a simple question: is knowing who’s on the other end of a call worth the potential trade-off in privacy?
As South Africa sharpens its focus on POPIA compliance, this tug-of-war between convenience and consent may become one of the defining tests for how international tech firms operate in the country.
Also read: Truecaller Faces POPIA Scrutiny in South Africa Over Privacy Concerns
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Source: MyBroadband
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