The launch of WhatsApp’s Username feature has been postponed in India for now! After government’s objection, Meta took a big decision

New Delhi: The much awaited username feature of WhatsApp will not be launched in India at present. The company’s parent company Meta has assured the Indian government that until the negotiations regarding this feature with the government are completed and all security related questions are resolved, it will not be released for Indian users. This decision is important for those crores of users who were waiting for the facility to chat without sharing the mobile number.

What is the Username feature of WhatsApp?

Meta had announced the username feature for WhatsApp some time ago. Through this feature, users will be able to connect with other people by using a unique username instead of their mobile number.

Its main objective is to increase the privacy of users, so that they do not have to share their phone number to start a conversation with every new person. This facility is already available on messaging platforms like Telegram and Signal.

Why did the government express concern?

The Government of India believes that if strong security measures are not adopted with this feature, it can be misused. Creating a fake username can increase the risk of incidents like misuse of someone else’s identity, online fraud, phishing and cyber crimes.

In view of these concerns, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had asked Meta for detailed information on this feature and complete details of the security arrangements.

What answer did Meta give?

Meta has told the government that the username feature will be launched in India only when all the issues are agreed upon between the two parties. The company also clarified that the requirement of mobile number to create a WhatsApp account will continue as before. The username will only be a new option to connect with people, and not a complete alternative to the mobile number.

What will be the arrangements for security?

The company has indicated that usernames of government institutions, celebrities and verified accounts will be kept safe. Besides, security measures like banning creation of fake usernames similar to them will also be implemented.

At present the government is reviewing the proposed security measures of Meta. Only after this the final decision will be taken on launching this feature in India. The government is also reviewing such features on other messaging apps so that uniform security standards can be implemented across all platforms.