Mo app does not seek blanket permissions for users' data: BJP

New Delhi, March 25: Hours after Congress President Rahul Gandhi, citing media reports, alleged that users data from the rendra Modi app was being shared with third parties, the BJP denied the allegation saying the app does not ask for blanket permissions when started and “even allows access to users in ‘guest mode without even any permission for data.

“The rendra Modi App is a unique app, which unlike most apps, gives access to users in ‘guest mode’ without even any permission or data... The app does not ask for blanket permissions when the app is started,” said a BJP source. Sources said the permissions required are all “contextual and cause-specific”. For example, a selfie campaign requires access to the camera and/or photo gallery.

“Contact access is required to connect with friends or fellow party workers on the New India connect module. If a person has entered his email address and date of birth, he receives a persolised birthday greeting from the Prime Minister. Each function asks for the specific permission when access is required,” a source said.

“The data in no way is stored or used by the third party services. Alytics and processing on the user data is done for offering users the most contextual content. This ensures that a user gets the best possible experience by show content in his/her own language.

“It also ebles a unique, persolized experience according to a person’s interests. For example, a person who looks up content related to agriculture will get agriculture related content prominently. A person from Tamil du will get notifications in Tamil and get an update when the Prime Minister is in Tamil du,” the source said.

Interestingly, at the Google Play Store, the Mo app describes itself as the “official app of the Prime Minister of India”. However, the app — or the website ‘rendramodi.in’ — is not owned by or affiliated to the India government, which generally uses the domain ‘nic.in’ or ‘gov.in’.

The website is hosted by a US-based company Akamai, headquartered in Massachusetts and the app is owned by Modi in his private capacity, not by the Prime Minister’s office, and he has provided 11, Ashok Road, New Delhi - BJP’s headquarter till a few months back - as the registered address. (IANS)