Government seeks explanation from WhatsApp over usernames feature, asks Meta to delay rollout

Rollout put on hold

The Indian government has reportedly asked Meta to pause WhatsApp’s usernames feature in India until consultations are completed. It has also sought a detailed explanation from the company about how the feature will work and what safeguards are built in.

According to the reports, Meta has been given three days to respond. The move suggests officials want clarity before the feature is allowed to go live in the country.

Why the concern

The government’s main worry is that usernames could make it easier for scammers to target users without needing their phone numbers. Reports say authorities fear the feature could be misused for fraud, phishing, impersonation and digital arrest scams.

There is also concern that bad actors could create usernames that resemble those of public institutions, financial organisations or government bodies. That could make impersonation and identity spoofing more convincing on a messaging platform as large as WhatsApp.

What the feature does

WhatsApp’s username system is meant to let people contact each other through a unique handle instead of exposing their phone number. Meta says usernames are optional, must be unique, and will appear with an @ symbol.

The company has also said certain usernames may be reserved for businesses, public figures and institutions to reduce misuse. Still, the government appears to want more detail on how those controls will work in practice.

What happens next

For now, the key point is that WhatsApp’s username rollout in India is not expected to move forward immediately. The government wants Meta to explain the privacy and security implications before any launch happens.

This could become an important test for how India handles new messaging features that reduce reliance on phone numbers but may also create new abuse risks.