Meta Officials Hold Discussions With Centre Over Username Feature: Sources

A delegation from American social media giant Meta held discussions with officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology over the new username feature of WhatsApp, a messaging platform it owns, following the central government's objection, sources told NDTV.The Centre had issued a notice to Meta over WhatsApp's proposed new feature.During the discussion, the government officials expressed their doubts about the feature and apprised the Meta officials about its potential dangers.The proposed feature allows WhatsApp users to send texts to others via usernames without sharing their phone numbers.In a recent directive, the ministry instructed Meta not to introduce this feature in India until consultation with the government is completed. It also asked for an explanation from the tech giant within three days.Also read: Choosing A WhatsApp Username? Expert Warns Of 6 Cybersecurity RisksThe sources told NDTV that Meta has conveyed that it will make the necessary submission as per the timelines set by the government.Also read: Centre Summons Meta Officials Over Child Abuse Ads On Instagram: SourcesThe government fears that the username feature will be misused by cyberthugs for impersonations, identity spoofing, phishing, and other online scams. The government believes that anonymity provided by usernames may complicate the process of detecting wrongdoers, increasing the risk of cybercrime.WhatsApp believes that the feature is not live yet, and it is working on adding several safeguards to the system to ensure that there are no scams associated with it. Users, the company claims, will need a phone number for registration on the platform.Also read: WhatsApp Clarifies Username Feature Amid Scrutiny, Introduces Safeguards Against ImpersonationBefore the government takes any decisions, it is expected to thoroughly vet Meta's submissions.Meanwhile, the ministry has summoned Meta's officials in connection with Instagram-hosted advertisements promoting child sexual abuse, sources said.The government will ask Meta's officials how it allowed its platform to host such advertisements and what it is doing to stem similar content.