3K Registered Senders Whitelist Over 70K Links

New Delhi: More than 3,000 registered senders have whitelisted more than 70,000 URLs, APKs (Android package kit) or OTT (over the top) links as per the government directive to safeguard consumers from unsolicited messages containing malicious links, it was announced on Thursday.

In a major step to curb the misuse of URLs (uniform resource locators) in messages, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had issued a directive on August 20, and then extended it till September 30.

The new rule, instructing all access providers to block any traffic containing URLs, APKs, or OTT links that have not been whitelisted, is set to be implemented by 1st October 2024. To ensure smooth flow of SMS traffic containing URLs, TRAI advises registered senders to promptly upload their whitelisted URL/APK/OTT links to the portal of the respective Access Providers.

“So far, over 3,000 registered senders have complied with this requirement by whitelisting more than 70,000 links. Senders who fail to whitelist their links by the due date will not be able to transmit any messages containing URL/APK/OTT links,” said the Ministry of Communications. This initiative is designed to foster a transparent and secure communication system.

“By complying with these new rules, both Access Providers and registered senders can help in creating a more reliable and safe messaging environment,” said the telecom regulator.