Is someone listening in on your calls? Here’s why you should be worried

Plans by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) to install a Device Management System on the country’s telecommunications infrastructure have sparked protests from telecom companies reluctant to plug into a third-party portal and users worried about their privacy.

The CAK says the system, which allows it to remotely identify communications devices and their users, will keep unregistered devices off the network and help in the fight against terrorism and tax evasion through unmonitored telephone calls. Privacy campaigners worry that the system could be used to intercept and collect voice and text data, reports CAK says are “misleading”.