UIDAI slams Aadhaar 'fear-mongering', says helpline number can't steal data

The UIDAI said vested interests had misused Google's "inadvertent" act that led to appearance of its old helpline number in the contact list of several users

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Current Affairs News: The UIDAI on Sunday said vested interests misused Google's "inadvertent" act around it old helpline number to create fear and tarnish the image of Aadhaar while emphasising that a number stored in contact list cannot steal data from a mobile phone.

The Unique Identity Authority of India (UIDAI) said rumour mongers attempted to tarnish the image of Aadhaar for a Google's inadvertent act that led to the appearance of its old helpline number 1800 300 1947 in the contact list of several mobile phone users.

"UIDAI condemns the vested interests who tried to misuse Google's "inadvertent" act as an opportunity to spread rumours and go around fear-mongering against Aadhaar," the authority said in a statement.

Last week, a French security expert who goes under the pseudonym Elliot Alderson and describes himself as the "worst nightmare" of the UIDAI, in a tweet had raised alarm on the presence of a UIDAI contact number in contact list of mobile phone users without their consent.

His tweet scared many mobile phone users on the appearance of the UIDAI's old helpline number in their contacts even though they did not add it.

Article Source >> BS