Why WhatsApp usernames could upset Somalia's anti-terror fight
The Somali government has expressed concerns that WhatsApp's upcoming username feature could facilitate financial fraud and aid militant groups like al-Shabab. Officials are in talks with Meta to address security risks in a country heavily reliant on mobile money.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between global tech platform features and the security needs of nations facing active insurgencies and financial instability.
Image source, AFP via Getty Images Image caption, Somalia has an economy that heavily relies on mobile money transactions
Somalia's government has told the BBC it is concerned about WhatsApp's plan to launch a new feature that would let people chat using usernames rather than phone numbers, saying it could pose a security risk.
Communications and Technology Minister Ahmed Osman Dirie said it could make it harder to trace and counter criminals in a country that is still battling Islamist militants.
The rollout to three billion global users of WhatsApp worldwide is expected in the coming months, allowing people to remove or change their usernames at any time.
Somalia has been hit by a brutal and deadly insurgency - led by al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda affiliate - for more than two decades.
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