Why govt finds WhatsApp's username feature problematic: ‘Fraud, digital arrest, impersonation’
The Centre issued a notice to Meta on Wednesday, July 1, over the controversial username feature on WhatsApp in India. Citing potential risks, the government
The Centre issued a notice to Meta on Wednesday, July 1, over the controversial username feature on WhatsApp in India. Citing potential risks, the government warned the platform not to roll out the feature until consultations on the issue are completed. “You are also directed not to roll out this feature until the consultation on this point is achieved to the satisfaction of the Government,” read the notice issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to WhatsApp. The ministry notes that the new usernames feature will permit existing and new users on WhatsApp to reserve unique usernames. Upon full activation, the feature allows them to initiate and conduct conversations by exchanging usernames alone, without disclosing their mobile telephone numbers, it said. Why govt finds WhatsApp username feature problematic Quick answers to key questions • 5 QUESTIONS 1 What is the WhatsApp username feature? ⌵ The WhatsApp username feature allows users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers by reserving a unique username that starts with an '@' symbol, which others can use to message them. 2 Why is the Indian government concerned about WhatsApp's username feature? ⌵ The government is concerned that the username feature could increase impersonation, fraud, and online scams by allowing users to adopt usernames similar to those of legitimate individuals or institutions. 3 How will WhatsApp protect users from impersonation with the new username feature? ⌵ WhatsApp claims to protect against impersonation by reserving high-profile names for their legitimate owners and implementing measures such as limiting how many new people an account can contact and detecting abusive patterns.
4 Should users be worried about fraud when using WhatsApp's username feature? ⌵ Yes, experts warn that the absence of robust verification may lead to increased fraud and impersonation risks, urging users to remain cautious and verify identities before engaging with unknown accounts. 5 How can one reserve a username on WhatsApp? ⌵ To reserve a username on WhatsApp, users can navigate to 'Settings', then 'Account', and select 'Username' on the latest version of the app, where they can choose their unique username. The ministry warned that WhatsApp's new username feature could facilitate impersonation, fraud and online scams. "It is understood that once the feature is enabled, the recipient's phone number will no longer be visible to a first-time contact and that an optional 'username key' may be set as an additional control," the ministry's notice read. “It is felt that the feature may materially increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks, by enabling bad actors to solicit and message victims,” it added. The ministry said this feature may also “facilitate impersonation and identity spoofing, including impersonation of individuals, public authorities, financial institutions, and government agencies, by permitting the adoption of usernames closely resembling those of genuine persons or institutions.” Earlier, cybersecurity experts and startup founders claimed that users could create usernames resembling those of businesses, government agencies or public figures, potentially enabling impersonation, fraud and financial scams unless robust verification and anti-abuse safeguards are put in place. Paytm founder and Chief Executive Vijay Shekhar Sharma wrote on X that similar-sounding usernames could become a vector for impersonation and scams.
The BriefWire