Tania Velázquez, the president of the Telecommunications Company of Cuba (ETECSA), advocated on Wednesday for the use of domestically developed apps like toDus to enhance communication among students. Her comments come amid growing dissatisfaction over internet access restrictions and the newly imposed rates by the state-run company.
In her appearance on the television program Mesa Redonda, Velázquez mentioned that a variety of apps developed in Cuba offer competitive pricing and aim to improve communication for students. She emphasized the national messaging app, toDus, which was developed by the University of Computer Sciences (UCI) and has been promoted by the Cuban government as a cost-effective alternative for users.
"Recently, attention has shifted towards toDus, and there is noticeable interest from users. Several Cuban entities are planning to migrate their contact groups to the app because we are making it more affordable. We have a plan for 25 CUP, which offers 600 MB for file exchanges, and messaging is completely free," the official stated with a smile. "We encourage it to become a key method of communication for students, teachers, and the entire Cuban education system."
This strong push for toDus coincides with the start of an academic strike by students at the University of Havana, which has since spread to other educational institutions across the country in protest of ETECSA's new pricing.
While the president promotes toDus as a low-cost application, numerous experts and activists have raised concerns about its potential use for monitoring users. Unlike other messaging platforms, toDus requires a Cuban phone line to operate, and all communications can be stored on state servers, including connection times, traces, and user activity.
The official website claims not to share user data "beyond what the law permits." This vague statement suggests the possibility of state surveillance. An internal source from UCI, contacted by CiberCuba, confirmed that the app logs data, which means user privacy may not be adequately protected.
Concerns About User Privacy and Surveillance with toDus
What is the primary purpose of toDus according to ETECSA?
According to ETECSA, toDus is designed to facilitate communication among students by offering a low-cost messaging service.
Why are there concerns about user privacy with toDus?
There are concerns about user privacy because toDus requires a Cuban phone line and stores communications on state servers, potentially allowing state surveillance.
How does toDus differ from other messaging apps?
Unlike other messaging apps, toDus requires a Cuban phone line and may store user data on state-run servers, raising privacy concerns.