India warns WhatsApp over username feature, cites fraud risks

The Indian government has ordered WhatsApp to pause the rollout of its new username feature, citing risks of fraud and impersonation. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said the feature could “materially increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks” Source: TechCrunch. Meta, which owns WhatsApp, defended the feature, stating it includes multiple safeguards such as limiting new contacts and reserving usernames for public figures Source: CNBC.

What's happening

WhatsApp began allowing users to reserve unique usernames this week, with a full rollout planned later this year Source: AP News. The feature lets users chat without revealing their phone numbers, addressing a long-standing privacy gap Source: BBC. Telegram and Signal already offer similar capabilities.

Government concerns

• MeitY warned that usernames could enable impersonation of individuals, public authorities, and financial institutions Source: The Hindu.
• The government gave WhatsApp three days to explain why regulatory action should not be taken Source: CNA.
• Digital rights group Internet Freedom Foundation criticized the notice, saying it lacked legal basis Source: TechCrunch.

Meta's response

• A Meta spokesperson said usernames are not yet live and will roll out slowly Source: CNBC.
• WhatsApp has reserved high-profile usernames to prevent impersonation Source: Engadget.
• The company will limit new contacts and detect abuse patterns Source: Gizmodo.
• Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp's VP of product, described usernames as a “core privacy feature” Source: Wired.

Disagreement persists: The government sees the feature as a vector for cybercrime, while Meta argues it is designed with privacy and security in mind.