Information Regulator
South Africa’s Information Regulator says it is investigating complaints it has received against call screening platform Truecaller, following concerns from businesses and individuals about potential violations of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) and harm to their operations.
The probe was triggered by multiple complaints lodged in late June 2025, where companies and anonymous individuals urged the regulator to crack down on Truecaller. One complainant, a small internet service provider (ISP), expressed frustration, saying: “I hope that they get banned in South Africa. They create a platform where they allow anyone to say anything about your business, good or bad, even swear words.” Another appeared to be an internet telephony provider, highlighting how the app flags legitimate business numbers as spam, blocking calls and damaging reputations.
Businesses complained that Truecaller had harmed their companies by flagging their numbers on the platform and charging them a fee to be whitelisted. The ISP noted: “For a ridiculous fee — $590/month for 5000 calls — they will whitelist your number so your business can get through to clients again.” This equates to about R2.18 extra per call, adding financial strain on top of lost opportunities. None of the complainants shared details about their telemarketing strategy or their relationship to direct marketing, but the core issue revolves around unsolicited labelling that affects customer reach.
The regulator clarified: “The Regulator has not received a request to ban Truecaller in South Africa, but we can confirm that we have received a complaint against Truecaller and we are investigating that complaint.” It highlighted that its mandate only empowers the Information Regulator if Truecaller’s handling of personal information is not in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). “That is the only measure we can use to determine if there has been any wrongdoing. Upon conclusion of the investigation, the regulator will then make a pronouncement on this point,” it said.
Legal experts have weighed in, warning that Truecaller might be at odds with POPIA provisions. Ahmore Burger-Smidt, director at Werksmans Attorneys, pointed out concerns over the platform’s past encouragement for users to upload their phone address books in exchange for additional features. “Without a doubt, concerns can be raised from a POPIA perspective in relation to the manner and the purposes for which personal data is collected and processed via the Truecaller app,” Burger-Smidt said. This is particularly troubling for non-subscribers whose data ends up on the platform without their knowledge.
She explained: “From a data protection perspective, a responsible party, in this instance Truecaller, can only process the personal information of a data subject if he has a lawful basis to do so. POPIA provides for lawful bases, which include: consent, compliance with a legal obligation, if there is a legitimate interest, and the performance of a contract.” While subscribers might have a basis, Burger-Smidt questioned: “However, on what basis are they processing all the contact information that the subscriber holds? It is very difficult to motivate for this to be done on the basis of a legitimate interest.”
Non-users may be unaware their details have been shared, as Truecaller builds its database from user uploads. Although the app offers an unlisting function, individuals might not know to use it. Burger-Smidt suggested: “To this end, Truecaller should notify, by SMS or email, each person who is added to its database. That person may then be directed to the Truecaller privacy policy and be informed of their ability to” opt out or manage their data.
POPIA, effective since July 2021, requires organisations to process personal information lawfully, transparently, and securely, with consent where needed. Violations can lead to fines up to R10 million or imprisonment. The regulator has handled similar cases, like direct marketing complaints against entities for unsolicited calls, enforcing opt-out mechanisms and data protection.
Truecaller, a Swedish company with over 400 million users worldwide, defends its practices by stating it relies on crowd-sourced data for spam identification, helping users avoid unwanted calls. In South Africa, where robocalls and scams are rampant, the app is popular for its caller ID and blocking features. However, critics argue it creates an uneven playing field, where anonymous users can label numbers negatively without verification, affecting small businesses reliant on outbound calls for sales or support.
The app’s business model includes a premium service where companies pay for verification badges or whitelisting to ensure their calls go through. This has drawn accusations of extortion-like practices, as flagged numbers get blocked by default in user settings. For ISPs and telephony providers, this disrupts customer service, leading to lost revenue and trust.
The investigation could set a precedent for how foreign tech platforms handle South African data. If found non-compliant, Truecaller might face enforcement notices, requiring changes like better consent mechanisms or data deletion options. The regulator has previously fined companies for POPIA breaches, including a R5 million penalty against a direct marketer in 2023 for spam messages.
As the probe continues, businesses hope for clarity on balancing consumer protection with fair operations. Truecaller has not publicly responded to the complaints but maintains its privacy policy complies with global standards like GDPR, though POPIA’s specifics on data minimisation and purpose limitation could pose challenges.
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