New Delhi, July 2: The Central Government has raised concerns over WhatsApp’s proposed username feature and has sought clarification from its parent company Meta.
The Ministry of Electronics and IT has asked Meta to explain the feature and its safety measures before any rollout. The government has also directed that the feature should not be implemented until further review is completed.
Officials have expressed concern that the feature could be misused for cyber fraud by hiding user identities. At present, WhatsApp accounts are linked to mobile numbers, while the new system would allow users to interact using usernames.
The matter is under examination, and further discussions are expected between the government and Meta.
