Centre to Review WhatsApp Username Feature Over Online Fraud and Security Concerns

The Central government is set to examine WhatsApp’s upcoming username-based messaging feature over concerns that it could be exploited by online fraudsters and make it more difficult for law enforcement agencies to identify users. According to reports, officials will assess the feature’s privacy and security implications before or during its rollout. If any shortcomings are identified, Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, could be asked to explain the feature or implement corrective measures.

WhatsApp recently announced that usernames will be introduced globally over the coming months, allowing users to connect without sharing their phone numbers. The optional feature is designed to enhance privacy, particularly in group chats and first-time conversations. Users will be able to create, modify, or delete their usernames while continuing to use existing safety features such as blocking and reporting suspicious accounts.

Usernames must be between 3 and 35 characters long and can include lowercase letters, numbers, periods, and underscores, with at least one letter required. They cannot contain spaces, unsupported symbols, or terms such as “www”, “.com”, or “.net”. WhatsApp says users without a saved phone number will see the username instead, while existing contacts will continue to see the saved contact name and phone number. The company also allows users to share their username through a QR code or link, and the feature remains entirely optional.

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