New Delhi, July 2(APAC Media): The Centre has asked Meta to pause the rollout of WhatsApp’s proposed usernames feature in India over concerns that it could increase cybercrime and online fraud.
The Ministry has issued a notice to Meta directing the company not to launch the feature until consultations are completed. It has also sought a detailed explanation within three days and asked why regulatory action should not be considered under the Information Technology Act.
The proposed feature would allow WhatsApp users to connect through unique usernames instead of sharing their mobile phone numbers. While the feature has not yet been launched in India, the government said the change could make it harder to identify users and may create new risks for law enforcement and online safety.
According to the notice, the government believes the feature could increase phishing attempts, online fraud, “digital arrest” scams, identity spoofing and impersonation of individuals, banks, government agencies and public authorities. Officials are also examining whether reduced visibility of phone numbers could affect user traceability.
WhatsApp said the usernames feature is still under development and will be introduced gradually later this year. The company clarified that users will continue to need a phone number to create and use a WhatsApp account.
Meta also said it is building safeguards to reduce misuse, including restricting high-profile usernames, blocking lookalike usernames, limiting contact requests and detecting suspicious activity. The platform added that users will receive contextual information, such as whether a message is from a saved contact, a newly created account or a user in another country, before responding to unknown senders.
