The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) confirmed that providing personal information to voice and video communication applications is due to the user’s freedom.
The authority stated to «Emirates Today» that any communication application needs to be approved by it to work in the country, noting that it evaluates the application from various related aspects and then responds with approval or rejection.
The «Emirates Today» has received inquiries from some users of applications for audio and video communication in which they expressed their concerns after some communication applications requested personal information from users such as their phone numbers, email of users, and some other personal information.
User freedom
In detail, the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) stated that requesting applications for voice and video communication personal information from application users is applicable in applications that are generally available on mobile phones, stating that the provision of this required information by users is primarily due to user freedom . The «Regulating Communications» clarified that the requirements for applications for audio and video communication differ from one application to another in general.
The authority added that any communication application needs to be approved by the authority to work in the state, noting that the procedures that must be followed to obtain the authority’s approval are that the operators submit a request to the authority to agree to launch the application in the state, and then it is evaluated according to the requirements and legislation in force and approval is given When those requirements are met.
Regarding the existence of control by the authority on the applications to verify that they are not harmful to users, «Telecommunications Regulation» confirmed that it evaluates the application from various related aspects and then responds with approval or rejection in accordance with the extent to which the application meets the standards in force in the UAE.
The authority indicated that the application of "Voico" is licensed and approved by it as the regulator of the telecommunications sector, and it expresses approval or rejection based on its regulatory role and its regulations and regulations in this context.
Partnership with operators
With regard to the application obtaining a partnership with the operators to work in the country, the «Telecommunications Regulation» stated that this depends on the nature of the agreement between the operators and the developers of the application in which the authority does not interfere, indicating that in all cases the operators can put the application for use once the approval of the authority has been obtained.
Avoid dealing with strangers
The General Authority for Communications Regulation confirmed earlier the importance of avoiding dealing with strangers on social media, in addition to avoiding giving any personal information, calling in case of suspicion of fake accounts, representing unreal or famous personalities, not to respond to such accounts Speeding up their ban and converting them into “unwanted accounts”, and reporting abuse through the feature found in many social media applications.
voico is a licensed and approved application by the Authority, as the telecom regulator.
The authority confirmed that operators can launch the application for use once its approval has been obtained.