UAE's telecoms regulator 'aware' of Totok spyware claims, says strict standards to protect privacy applied

The UAE's telecom regulator has said that it is "aware" of all recent concerns over data protection and strict standards have been imposed to protect users' privacy.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) ensured that it is working closely with all international organisations to protect user privacy, especially after ToTok, a popular messaging application, was taken off the Apple and Google app stores earlier this week over allegations of being used as a spy tool, WAM reported.

"The TRA affirms that UAE telecommunications regulations encompass strong Information security laws to prohibit any kind of data breach and unlawful interception. The TRA imposes strict standards to protect users' privacy, which are in compliance with international standards," the regulator said.

"The standards are strictly implemented across all certified telecommunications applications, including Totok, in the UAE," it added.

The regulator also said that all certified telecommunications applications in the country are in compliance with their standards and have applied them.

The New York Times, in one of its report, had stated that ToTok was used by the UAE government to track conversations and other critical data such as movement, sound and photographs.

While the app is not available to new people, existing users, however, said that they are able to use the service for free calls.

"In this holiday season of joy and celebration, we would have preferred not to dignify those who manufacture lies with a direct response. But as ToTok cofounders, we are personally compelled to speak up for ourselves and for our users," Gulf News reported citing the company's statement.

However, developers of 'ToTok' have rebuffed such accusations of their service being spyware and misusing users' information, saying that the company has made security and privacy as its priority "since day one".

Referring to allegations of lack of security and privacy issues, the company outlined, "Here is the fact - since day one, we have built ToTok with user security and privacy as our priority. Don't just take our word for it. A technical analysis by a former NSA employee has concluded ToTok 'simply does what it claims to do, and really nothing more... no exploits, no backdoors, and no malware'."

"Here is the irony - this technical analysis was actually requested by the same people who initiated the defamation of ToTok," it added.

"Not only do we respect privacy and ensure security, but our users also have complete control over what data they want to share at their own discretion. The shameless fabrication by our distractors cannot be further from the truth," the statement continued.

Launched a few months back, ToTok was downloaded millions of times from the Apple and Google app stores by users throughout the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Africa and North America.

Although a majority of its users are based in the UAE, ToTok became one of the most downloaded social apps in the US earlier this month, as per app rankings and App Annie, a research firm, New York Times had said in its report on December 22.