Google India Launches New Scam Defence Features Under DPDP Rules
Privacy-enhancing technologies (PETs) such as federated learning, homomorphic encryption, and differential privacy will play a crucial role in driving the DPDP Act 2023 implementation, according to a senior official from the IT Ministry. Vikash Chourasia, Scientist D of the Ministry’s Cyber Laws and Data Governance Group, compared India’s journey with data protection laws to purchasing a new car. “Now we have to drive the car,” he said, emphasising that privacy-enhancing technologies India would be the “core agents” enabling the rollout of the Digital Personal Data Protection framework.
Chourasia added, “That’s where we feel that PETs are the core agents for us to deliver the implementation of the DPDP. And that is where we look forward to partnering with institutions and academic groups.” His comments came during a panel discussion featuring government and industry leaders at an AI pre-summit hosted by Google India in New Delhi. The session is part of the lead-up to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 , the first large-scale AI summit to be held in the Global South. This context reinforces how critical PETs in DPDP Act compliance will become in the coming months.
Speaking further on privacy, Chourasia noted, “I believe privacy is a problem which probably could be resolved at the engineering level more than at the user level. Because the user is the end consumer.” He also highlighted ongoing consultations with institutions such as IIT Madras’ Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI), along with planned training sessions for developers—an effort that ties into India’s broader DPDP Act 2023 technology adoption strategy.
His remarks come shortly after the IT Ministry notified the DPDP Rules 2025, officially laying the foundation for India’s privacy law. Currently, only certain provisions—such as the amendment to the RTI Act and the establishment of the Data Protection Board (DPB)—are active. Other key requirements, including informed user consent for data processing and compulsory data breach notifications, will take effect after 18 months. The compliance timeline may differ for large tech firms and startups, reflecting the gradual rollout expected in the DPDP Act 2023 implementation timeline.
At the same event, Google showcased its multi-layered approach to using AI to protect Indian users from digital harm. It also announced updates across its security and scam-prevention tools, strengthening the Google AI scam protection India ecosystem. The company highlighted new partnerships with CeRAI and the CyberPeace Foundation to deepen research efforts.
The company also announced a pilot feature aimed at combating rising digital arrest scams in India. Users on Android 11 or later will receive a warning when attempting to share their screen with unknown contacts. They can immediately end the call and stop screen sharing with a single tap. This safety solution was built in partnership with Google Play, Navi, and Paytm, showcasing Google’s broader role in online fraud prevention India.
Google further introduced Enhanced Phone Number Verification (ePNV)—a new Android security protocol designed to replace traditional SMS OTPs with a secure, consent-based SIM verification check. This technology strengthens account safety and reflects the company’s continued investment in Android security upgrades India.
The company added that Google Pay shows over one million fraud warnings every week, signalling the scale of threats in the digital payments ecosystem. Meanwhile, Google Play Protect has blocked more than 115 million attempts to install sideloaded apps abusing sensitive permissions—apps frequently linked to financial scams in India. These developments reinforce Google’s commitment to AI-powered fraud detection India as cybercrime tactics continue to evolve.
Chourasia added, “That’s where we feel that PETs are the core agents for us to deliver the implementation of the DPDP. And that is where we look forward to partnering with institutions and academic groups.” His comments came during a panel discussion featuring government and industry leaders at an AI pre-summit hosted by Google India in New Delhi. The session is part of the lead-up to the India AI Impact Summit 2026 , the first large-scale AI summit to be held in the Global South. This context reinforces how critical PETs in DPDP Act compliance will become in the coming months.
Speaking further on privacy, Chourasia noted, “I believe privacy is a problem which probably could be resolved at the engineering level more than at the user level. Because the user is the end consumer.” He also highlighted ongoing consultations with institutions such as IIT Madras’ Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI), along with planned training sessions for developers—an effort that ties into India’s broader DPDP Act 2023 technology adoption strategy.
His remarks come shortly after the IT Ministry notified the DPDP Rules 2025, officially laying the foundation for India’s privacy law. Currently, only certain provisions—such as the amendment to the RTI Act and the establishment of the Data Protection Board (DPB)—are active. Other key requirements, including informed user consent for data processing and compulsory data breach notifications, will take effect after 18 months. The compliance timeline may differ for large tech firms and startups, reflecting the gradual rollout expected in the DPDP Act 2023 implementation timeline.
At the same event, Google showcased its multi-layered approach to using AI to protect Indian users from digital harm. It also announced updates across its security and scam-prevention tools, strengthening the Google AI scam protection India ecosystem. The company highlighted new partnerships with CeRAI and the CyberPeace Foundation to deepen research efforts.
Scam Detection, Fraud Prevention on Pixel & Android Devices
As part of its efforts to tackle online fraud, Google announced a Gemini Nano scam detection feature rolling out to Pixel devices. The feature analyses calls in real time to identify suspicious patterns—all processed entirely on the device, without recording audio or sending data to Google’s servers. Google explained, “The feature is off by default, applies only to calls from unknown numbers (not saved contacts), plays a beep to notify participants, and can be turned off by the user at any time.”The company also announced a pilot feature aimed at combating rising digital arrest scams in India. Users on Android 11 or later will receive a warning when attempting to share their screen with unknown contacts. They can immediately end the call and stop screen sharing with a single tap. This safety solution was built in partnership with Google Play, Navi, and Paytm, showcasing Google’s broader role in online fraud prevention India.
Google further introduced Enhanced Phone Number Verification (ePNV)—a new Android security protocol designed to replace traditional SMS OTPs with a secure, consent-based SIM verification check. This technology strengthens account safety and reflects the company’s continued investment in Android security upgrades India.
The company added that Google Pay shows over one million fraud warnings every week, signalling the scale of threats in the digital payments ecosystem. Meanwhile, Google Play Protect has blocked more than 115 million attempts to install sideloaded apps abusing sensitive permissions—apps frequently linked to financial scams in India. These developments reinforce Google’s commitment to AI-powered fraud detection India as cybercrime tactics continue to evolve.
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