The Indian government has temporarily suspended the launch of WhatsApp's new "username" feature in the country, which would allow users to connect with others without sharing their phone numbers. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) sent an official letter to Meta stating that the innovation cannot be launched until consultations with the government regarding the implementation of the feature are completed. The Ministry also demanded that Meta explain within three days why this feature should not lead to regulatory measures.
WhatsApp announced on June 29 that users would soon be able to choose a unique username and message other people without sharing their phone numbers. The Indian government believes that this innovation could lead to an increase in fake accounts and fraud cases. The main concern of the official p is that some individuals may deceive people by creating usernames similar to the names of government agencies, banks, celebrities, and other organizations. In recent years, the increase in phishing and online fraud cases in India has led the government to take a stricter approach to this issue.
Meta, however, stated that the feature is not yet active in India and the company has already pre-reserved usernames similar to government agencies, celebrities, and verified accounts. According to the company, this step will help prevent the creation of fake profiles. However, it is not yet known whether the Indian government will consider these measures sufficient. Experts note that this issue could turn into a new dispute between governments and technology companies regarding the balance of user privacy and security.
