DoT mandates are sprints to nowhere

Two recent directives of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT)—one mandating SIM binding for over-the-top communication apps and the other ordering the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones—are driven by legitimate objectives: reduce cybercrime, improve user protection, and strengthen digital trust. The intent is not in dispute. The method is. And on that score, the government appears to be sprinting where it should be consulting, designing, and only then implementing.