India may shut down Google and Skype Internet-based messaging services over security concerns, the Financial Times reported yesterday, as the government threatened a similar crackdown on BlackBerry services.
The Financial Times quoted from the minutes of a July 12 meeting between telecommunications ministry security officials and operator associations to look at possible solutions to “intercept and monitor” encrypted communications.
“There was consensus that there [are] more than one type of service for which solutions are to be explored. Some of them are BlackBerry, Skype, Google etc,” according to the department’s minutes. “It was decided first to undertake the issue of BlackBerry and then the other services.”
PHOTO: EPA
On Thursday, the Indian government became the latest of several nations that have threatened to cut off Research In Motion’s (RIM) encrypted BlackBerry e-mail and instant messaging services if the Canadian company does not address national security concerns.
India has set an Aug. 31 deadline for RIM. It wants access in a readable format to encrypted BlackBerry communication, on grounds it could be used by militants. Pakistani-based militants used mobile and satellite phones in the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people.
India’s demands follow a deal with Saudi Arabia, where a source said RIM agreed to give authorities codes for BlackBerry Messenger users. The United Arab Emirates, Lebanon and Algeria are also seeking access.
Officials say RIM had proposed tracking e-mails without sharing encryption details, but that was not enough.
The Financial Times report said representatives from two of the telecom operator associations present confirmed the details of the meeting earlier this month.
“At the last security meeting, the agencies were talking about BlackBerry. They were also coming out heavily on Skype and Google,” said Rajesh Chharia, president of the Internet Service Providers Association of India.
A shutdown would affect 1 million users in India out of the smartphone’s 41 million users.
India is one of RIM’s fastest growing markets.
RIM, unlike rivals Nokia and Apple, operates its own network through secure servers located in Canada and other countries, such as Britain.
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