India, Dec. 20 -- Now that the sound and fury around the Sanchar Saathi app has died, it's time to look at the debris. What happened? What was it about? There's a history to this. Every technology controversy in India follows a predictable arc. A new system appears. A permission screen is spotted. The word "privacy" is invoked. Social media lights up. Television panels shout. And then, silence.

When Sanchar Saathi hit the headlines, curiosity compelled me to download the app. I used it and read what it asked for. I also spoke to people who build privacy-first digital systems for a living. What emerged from these conversations was an unfashionable narrative.

Sanchar Saathi is not opaque. While downloading, it explains what permissions it...