WhatsApp recently announced its long-awaited ‘usernames’ feature, which lets users communicate without sharing their phone numbers. While its rollout is still in the infancy stage, the feature is said to have come under the scrutiny of the Government. According to a report, authorities fear it could also make online scams and impersonation attempts more difficult to trace. The Meta-owned instant messaging platform has been asked not to launch “usernames” in India till consultations are complete.
Concerns Over WhatsApp’s Usernames Feature
So far, the social media giant has marketed the usernames feature as the “latest step” to provide its users with more privacy options for “how they show up in the app”. As an additional privacy layer, the company lets users set a unique username key, offering more control over who can contact them by searching for their username.
Citing a government letter, Reuters reported that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has directed WhatsApp to explain within three days why regulatory action should not be initiated over the feature. Concerns were reportedly expressed by the Centre over its potential to facilitate phishing attacks, digital arrest scams, financial fraud, and identity impersonation.
Authorities also reportedly warned that usernames resembling those of banks, government agencies, or well-known individuals could be misused to deceive users. In addition to the explanation, WhatsApp has been asked to pause its rollout.
Responding to the Centre’s concerns, a WhatsApp spokesperson stated that the username feature is not yet live. “We’ve announced the option for people to reserve their preferred username on WhatsApp. The ability to use a username is not yet live and will roll out slowly later this year,” the spokesperson said.
Meta also said it has built multiple safeguards to minimise the risk of impersonation. It has already reserved usernames for public figures, government entities, celebrities, and verified Meta accounts to prevent impersonation. Lookalike variations of such names have also been blocked from registration, as per the company.
Lastly, WhatsApp emphasised that even after the rollout of the usernames feature, users will still require a phone number to create and use an account. “Other users need to know the exact username to message you,” the spokesperson said, adding that WhatsApp has “systems to detect and remove activity showing common impersonation and abuse patterns.”
