New Delhi: The Government of India on Wednesday issued a notice to Meta over the controversial WhatsApp username feature in India and warned the company not to roll it out until consultations on the issue are completed, according to sources.
The government also directed Meta to furnish a detailed explanation of the username feature within three days, sources said.
According to sources, the government has issued a notice to Meta over the rollout of the username feature on WhatsApp in India, a key market where the messaging giant has more than 500 million users.
The Meta-owned platform has been directed not to roll out the feature until consultations on the matter are completed, sources informed.
The notice to the tech giant comes amid rising concerns that WhatsApp's new username feature could facilitate impersonation, fraud and online scams.
Earlier on Wednesday, sources had said the notice to the platform would seek details of the feature, its safeguards and the company's rollout plans, while law enforcement agencies might also examine the issue.
Sources had, at that point, indicated that authorities would also examine the legal framework governing the feature and whether existing laws provide for restricting its rollout if it is found to pose risks to public safety or national security.
WhatsApp plans to introduce usernames later this year, allowing users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers. The Meta-owned messaging platform says the feature is designed to enhance privacy, particularly in group chats and interactions with new contacts.
However, cybersecurity experts and startup founders have raised concerns 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.
"The government, as the statutory authority, will have to satisfy itself that the feature does not pose risks, given the legitimate concerns surrounding it," a source told PTI.
If WhatsApp's response is found to be unsatisfactory, the government could consider steps to prevent the feature from being rolled out in India, the sources added.
"They cannot go ahead unless they can assure and convince the government that adequate safeguards are in place," an official said, adding that WhatsApp has maintained the feature is intended to strengthen user privacy.
An email sent to WhatsApp seeking comment did not receive an immediate response.
WhatsApp has already allowed users to reserve usernames.
Online fraud concerns
Government officials said the feature could allow users to adopt usernames resembling those of government agencies or prominent public figures, increasing the risk of impersonation and scams.
The proposed feature has drawn criticism from cybersecurity experts and startup founders, who warned that lookalike usernames could be exploited unless robust verification and anti-impersonation safeguards are introduced.
Paytm founder and Chief Executive Officer Vijay Shekhar Sharma said on X that similar-sounding usernames could become a vector for impersonation and scams. Jasveer Singh, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of KnotDating, also questioned how the platform would balance user privacy with accountability.
Technology experts said the feature could make it easier for fraudsters to impersonate trusted brands, institutions and public figures unless effective identity verification mechanisms are put in place.
