India asks WhatsApp to pause usernames rollout, company says safeguards are in place
(File photo)The Indian government on Wednesday, July 1, asked WhatsApp to explain within three days why regulatory action should not be initiated over its planned “usernames” feature. According to a government letter reviewed by Reuters, authorities also directed the platform not to roll out the feature in India until consultations are complete. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said it had taken note of WhatsApp’s announcement that it would introduce usernames, allowing users to initiate conversations without revealing their phone numbers.“We’ve announced the option for people to reserve their preferred username on WhatsApp,” a Meta spokesperson said, adding that the feature is not yet live. The spokesperson also said the company has reserved usernames for public figures, government entities and verified Meta accounts to help prevent impersonation.
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