Bharti Airtel has urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to expand its regulatory framework to include over-the-top communication platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and Google Messages to address the growing issue of spam and online fraud. The company highlighted that spammers are increasingly exploiting these platforms, which currently lack regulatory oversight, posing significant user risks.

Key concerns raised by Airtel:

• Shift of spam to OTT platforms: With stricter controls over SMS and voice communication, spammers are moving to internet-based platforms that are not covered by TRAI’s Unsolicited Commercial Communications (UCC) Regulations.
• Lack of oversight: Unlike telecom operators, OTT platforms do not face regulatory scrutiny for spam detection or penalties for violators. They primarily rely on user reporting and blocking mechanisms.
• Increased risk of fraud: The absence of stringent anti-spam measures on OTT platforms has led to phishing, financial fraud, and security breaches.

Airtel’s recommendations:

• KYC verification. Mandate Know Your Customer (KYC) processes for businesses on OTT platforms, similar to telecom operators.
• Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT). Implement blockchain-based DLT scrubbing for message templates to ensure compliance with anti-spam regulations.
• Unified consent system. Introduce a Digital Consent Acquisition (DCA) system to allow users to manage their consent for promotional messages across both telecom and OTT platforms.
• Blacklisted database sharing. Require OTT platforms to share blacklisted spammer databases with telecom operators to create a unified anti-spam ecosystem.
• Spam reporting mechanisms. Enforce mandatory reporting of spam statistics by OTT platforms for better oversight and accountability.

Airtel’s push comes amid increasing concerns from other telecom operators like Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, who have also advocated for extending TRAI’s anti-spam regulations to include OTT services. These proposals aim to ensure a level playing field between telecom operators and OTT platforms while enhancing user safety and reducing spam-related fraud.

CT Bureau