In the wake of spam calls and other vices that Nigerians face via telephone calls, and the most annoying ones of airtel or any other of the network providers, forwarding bot calls to customers, Nigerians have found the need to identify the number calling before they pick up. it has either sides though, but, most of the time, it had really served its function of identifying spammy calls.
How does True Caller work?
I will write a quick run of how True caller really works, if you are one of Nigerians that don’t really know how this app works and have not bothered to ask google.
True caller just like any other app has a backend server, where it stores all info the app gets from users. Have you ever wondered why it needs data connection to function, this is cos, every time you use the True caller search, it connects with its back-end server, and gets a corresponding reply to its query?
Once you are using the true caller app, it asks for access to your phonebook, right? Hurray, all your phone data is being uploaded to the app’s server, which reviewers have termed secure. Fine. Let’s go on
So, as much people that uses the true caller app, all the phone book data ends up in the true caller’s server where they are arranged according to the server’s algorithm. With this, the server has a wealth of data stored in it, all over the world. So, I think you now understand that for every true caller user, their data is being uploaded to a server. Good.
Now, if someone calls you(A), and no name is reflecting on your phone, cos you did not save the person’s phone number, then use the true caller search. Once the person’s(B) number is saved on another person’s phone(C), who uses a true caller app, the name that person(C) saves the number(B) with, will reflect on your(A) phone. lo! And behold, you know who is calling you.
Cool app, but there is a con to it. Identity is relative, and what it means is this, to some people, I am Black Pen, and they probably saved my number with that, to others, it is Oludamola. Let me give you a quick example, I called a friend and my name reflected as Snr(Senior) Damola. This is so cos, there was only one person I gave that number, prior to that time, my junior in secondary school (Cos it wasn’t my hotline), so that’s what she saved it with, and obviously, she uses true caller, so my name is in true caller’s server as Snr Damola.(Finally, I’m popular)
But, the main reason why I decided on writing on this stuff you would probably have checked on google if you ever got curious is, “Are we really safe?”
I don’t know if you are aware of the scandal with Facebook, where details of 50million Americans was used to manipulate the election that got Trump into power, in favour of Trump. If Facebook could have such a massive data breach, which other app would not.
Remember, there are numerous apps on our mobile that we grant various accesses to our data saved on our phone. Social media apps, utility apps etc. my big question is, are we really safe in the midst of all this. It would be surprising but it’s true that with this chunk of info we give to these apps, we are really an open book.
Don’t be surprised to know that many app companies know a lot about you, and with the use of Artificial intelligence, they will tell you thing you don’t even know about yourself, even a crush you don’t know about.
What do we do?
Now that our lives are an open book, what do we do? Well, if you have been following me all along hoping that I would provide a solution to your privacy, I’m sorry to disappoint you, cos there is really no tech way to do that, to use their apps, you have to grant access. But, here are some bulletpoints;
Be careful of the apps you download; The Facebook scandal I mentioned, the company involved only used info gotten by an app that used Facebook account as a log in means. 270,000 people downloaded the app in the US, but with the access to people’s account, they were able to access details of their friends and all, amounting to 50 million persons, and poof! Data was stolen.
Try not to log in with Facebook or google; this might sound difficult, but if you care about privacy, go through the pain of creating passwords and details for each apps you use. That will make you more private.
Never let go of hope; Yes, in this you are not alone, let’s just keep praying/hoping that the big digital tech companies that already have our information in the palm of their hands continue to keep it safe and not do anything dubious with it.
I know you might be a tech geek, enthusiast or learner, if you have an idea of how we could keep our privacy better from this apps and software, kindly use the comment box below and share it. or questions you might want to ask, as you see, I reckon that I’m an open book, so use the comment box too.
It’s the world we are now, digitals. Privacy is only to an extent, to stay connected with the rest of the world, you have to part with something, and that is your information. But don’t be scared, the email you drop on this blog for subscription doesn’t have access to your details, so, subscribe to get more updates from us
Here, I rest my pen.
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