WhatsApp Username Row: The discussion between the Government of India and Meta regarding the new Username feature of the instant messaging platform WhatsApp has intensified. Recently Meta had announced to bring the username feature in WhatsApp, but after this the Central Government has asked to stop the rollout of this feature in India for the time being in view of security and fear of online fraud.
Now Meta has shared detailed information on social media platform
Why did the government express concern?
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) believes that after the introduction of WhatsApp Username feature, people will be able to connect with each other without sharing mobile numbers. This can make it easier for cyber criminals and fraudsters to create fake identities or misuse another person’s identity.
The government fears that some people may cheat people by creating usernames similar to government departments, reputed institutions, public figures or famous brands. In such cases, there is a risk of incidents like phishing, impersonation (copying of identity) and online fraud increasing.
Meta clarified, told how the feature will be safe
Amidst the government’s concerns, Meta shared a post on X and clarified that WhatsApp Username will be completely optional. That means it will not be mandatory for any user to create a username.
Username reservations are here, as more and more people claim theirs, here’s answers to the top questions you’re asking ⬇️
Q: Are usernames mandatory?
A: Nope, they are optional.
Q: What if the username I want is not available?
A: There’s a few reasons you might not be able to…
— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) July 1, 2026
The company also clarified that just knowing the username will not enable a person to be searched on WhatsApp. According to Meta, just as an unknown person cannot be searched on WhatsApp by just typing the mobile number, in the future, the facility to search a user by just entering the username will not be available in the future.
Username key will provide additional security
Meta said that users will also get the option of a Username Key, which will act as an extra security layer. The company says that users should choose a unique username, which is easy to identify but cannot be misused.
You will get security information before receiving the message
WhatsApp also clarified that currently the facility to send messages through username is not available. When this feature is launched in the future, users will be shown important security information before replying to a new person’s message.
This information will include details like the country of the sender, how old the account is and whether both the users are part of a common group. This will make it easier for users to identify any suspicious account.
Fake username will be banned
Meta said that names associated with famous personalities, government institutions, public organizations and Meta Verified accounts and their similar usernames will already be reserved. Its purpose is to prevent any kind of fake identification and impersonation.
The company also clarified that such claims going on on social media are wrong, in which it is being said that people can reserve famous or popular usernames in advance. According to Meta, the username reservation process is designed only for the rightful owners and cannot be exploited.
Rollout may happen by the end of this year
Meta reported that the WhatsApp Username feature will not be launched hastily. The company is currently working on the feedback received from users and experts so that the feature can be made completely secure and rolled out in a phased manner by the end of this year.
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