Good morning [%first_name |Dear Reader%],

Welcome back to another edition of Tech x Policy. 

World Cup fever has seeped into everything now. And of course, the tech at the heart of the tournament’s conduct and broadcast has taken the spotlight. Last week, for instance, Indian viewers were up in arms after Jio Cinema’s streaming services for the tournament were marred by technical issues. And now that we’re well into the tournament, there’s more. 

Like the controversy over whether the Japan goal that sent Germany out of the tournament involved the, well, not-always-loved Video Assistant Referee (VAR) tech. VAR used multiple cameras to ascertain whether a goal has actually been scored or not. With Japan’s controversial goal, the ball seemed to have gone out of play when seen through multiple angles. Except when it was seen from the top. 

Much furore followed from the (generally tech-loving) German fans, prompting FIFA to tweet out an explanation and adding the term “parallax” to football-speak.

But okay, enough fun. Because today’s edition has a couple of important pieces if you are a tech/internet user in India. Vanita writes about how a long-assumed bastion of privacy—end-to-end encrypted apps—may have finally falled. But before we get to that, here’s Pratap on the new draft telecom bill, and the gaping hole in India’s telecom regulations. 

Let’s dive in.

Why the proposed telecom bill is of the telcos, by the telcos, for the telcos

By Pratap Vikram Singh

Do you know who you should contact when you don’t get signals on your mobile phone? It really doesn’t matter where you are. Given the poor quality of telecom services in India, you could be facing this challenge even if you’re somewhere in the heart of a city like New Delhi. Let alone a few hundred kilometres away in the country’s rural hinterlands. 

How about when you are unable to re-register a SIM card belonging to one of your family members with your KYC credentials? Do you know who to call then? 

Who do you go to when you feel there is something off with the postpaid bill?

Yes, we have customer care. But assuming you aren’t satisfied with their resolutions (surprise surprise!), who do you approach next? 

But wait, I can hear you thinking, sector regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has a grievance redressal system in place. 

Well, yes it does. But best of luck with that.

Here’s a footnote from TRAI webpage on grievance redressal that’s worth reading: