Tashkent residents concerned over "mandatory" installation of Ministry of Internal Affairs app. What the authorities say

Tashkent residents alarmed by "mandatory" installation of Ministry of Internal Affairs app. What the authorities said

Residents of one of the mahallas in the Mirabad district of Tashkent expressed alarm over information about an upcoming gathering in their courtyard involving prevention inspectors. The discussion was triggered by a message stating that law enforcement officers intended to hold a meeting to install a special application on citizens' mobile devices. The service in question is APK Qo‘riqchi, which the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan developed to protect the population from cyber fraud involving malicious software.

The phrasing regarding the necessity of attendance and downloading the program raised questions among residents concerning the right to privacy and the security of personal data.

The district administration explained that the installation of this application is entirely voluntary, and the events themselves are of an exclusively informational and explanatory nature.

"Currently, extensive preventive and explanatory work is being carried out in the republic, aimed at increasing the digital literacy of the population and preventing cases of cyber fraud. As part of this work, residents are being educated about the dangers of APK files, which can be distributed via Telegram and other messengers. Such files may contain malware and, once installed, grant attackers access to various data on the mobile device," the khokimiyat reported, noting that the decision to install the application is made by each citizen independently.

Earlier, Telegram messenger users were warned about a new wave of cyber fraud involving fake court summonses.