Why are there concerns over WhatsApp usernames? | Explained
The Indian government has requested Meta to halt the rollout of WhatsApp's new username feature due to security concerns. Officials fear the feature could facilitate impersonation, phishing, and digital fraud by allowing users to hide their phone numbers.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing tension between tech platforms prioritizing user privacy and government regulators concerned about public safety and digital crime.
O n July 1, 2026, the Union government sent a notice to Meta asking it to stop the rollout of WhatsApp’s username feature, for which the Meta-owned messaging platform is currently taking reservations. In a notice to the social media platform, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) wrote that hiding phone numbers and only showing usernames may increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks.
The article presents both the government's regulatory concerns and Meta's proposed security safeguards neutrally.
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