Totok App Returns to Google Play, Sparking Debate Over Privacy and Surveillance
In a surprising turn of events, the Totok app reappeared on the Google Play Store on January 4, 2020, following its sudden disappearance in December 2019. The company behind the app, Breej Holding Ltd, issued a statement saying that there was no issue, echoed by the UAE’s telecom regulator. However, The New York Times painted a different picture, alleging that Totok was not a simple messaging app, but a surveillance tool used by the UAE government to collect personal data, location information, and private conversations from users.
The app, offering free calls and texts across multiple countries, attracted users with its promise of global connectivity. However, the catch was the extensive access it requested to users’ devices, including their location, private data, and photos. The New York Times report suggested that users were tricked into granting these permissions. The report also linked Totok’s publisher to DarkMatter, an Abu Dhabi-based intelligence and hacking firm.
The report further claimed that the app’s popularity was artificially inflated through fake reviews and a manufactured user base. Before its removal, Totok had garnered over five million downloads on Google Play alone. Breej Holding Ltd and the UAE’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) denied these spying allegations.
The TRA released a statement emphasizing their strict policies against data breaches and unlawful interception. However, they offered no specific evidence to counter the New York Times report, did not name DarkMatter, and did not address the issue of fake reviews. Instead, they pointed to the country’s laws, stating that any claims of unlawful surveillance were false and misleading.
Both Apple and Google had removed the app in December, with Apple yet to reinstate it. Google, on the other hand, did reinstate it on January 4, without providing a public explanation for its decision. The app is now available for download once again, raising questions about privacy and surveillance.
Totok is not a small operation, with over five million downloads representing a significant user base. Positioned as a competitor to WhatsApp and other free messaging services, it offered voice and text services across borders, making it particularly useful for migrant workers in the Gulf and families connecting across countries. The New York Times report suggests that the access requested from users was not necessary for the service to function, but was instead the means for data collection.
The connections between Breej Holding Ltd and DarkMatter, as well as the allegations of fake reviews, have not been proven in a court. The TRA has denied these allegations, but their denial has been met with skepticism. They have not released an independent audit, invited outside security researchers to examine the code, or explained why a legitimate messaging app would need access to photos and location data.
As the app returns, so do the questions about privacy and surveillance. With over five million people having downloaded Totok before its removal, it remains to be seen how many will download it now, how many will read the New York Times report, and how many will believe the TRA’s denial. The TRA’s stance on privacy protection is firm, but their methods and transparency are open to debate.
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