WhatsApp Responds to Indian Government's Concerns Over Usernames Feature

WhatsApp has officially responded to the Indian government's notification concerning its forthcoming usernames feature, designed to enable users to communicate without revealing their phone numbers. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has begun reviewing WhatsApp's response before deciding whether to permit the feature's launch within India.

Last week, MeitY issued a formal notice to WhatsApp expressing apprehensions that the new usernames feature could increase incidents of online fraud, phishing attempts, identity impersonation, and so-called "digital kidnapping." The government requested that WhatsApp refrain from launching the service in India until sufficient security guarantees are confirmed.

Previously, WhatsApp sought an extension to provide its reply, assuring that it would not introduce the feature in the Indian market until discussions with authorities concluded. Sources indicate that MeitY has received WhatsApp's official response and commenced its evaluation, although the company has not disclosed details of its submission.

This development follows a meeting held last week between Meta representatives and ministry officials to discuss the implementation mechanisms of the new feature. Meanwhile, the government continues to await similar responses from Telegram and Signal, which have received comparable notices.

The government also requested WhatsApp to clarify why it has not faced actions under India's Information Technology law, given concerns about potential misuse of the feature in cybercrimes. It reminded WhatsApp that it is classified in India as a "significant social media intermediary," thereby subject to additional obligations related to user protection and abuse prevention.

WhatsApp confirmed that the usernames feature has not yet been launched and will only become available gradually during the current year after consultations with the government are complete. The company clarified that usernames will not replace the need for a phone number to create an account but will serve as an additional communication option.

To mitigate identity impersonation risks, WhatsApp stated it has implemented several measures, including reserving usernames for public figures, celebrities, government entities, and Meta-verified accounts, while prohibiting the use of similar names. Additionally, there will be no public directory for searching usernames, so users can only contact someone if they already know the username.

WhatsApp also indicated plans to limit the number of messages that can be sent to new contacts, monitor repeated attempts to guess usernames, and deploy systems to detect early patterns of misuse.

The company explained that users will receive extra information when receiving a first message from an unknown username, such as whether the account is newly created, part of their contacts, a member of a shared group, or registered in another country, assisting users in deciding whether to respond.

The government’s review is not limited to WhatsApp; MeitY has issued similar notices to Telegram and Signal, requesting explanations of their usernames protection mechanisms. This occurs amid increased regulatory scrutiny of Meta and Telegram in India concerning illegal content and user safety issues.