Centre examining legal implications, possible clauses over WhatsApp, Telegram 'username' feature: Sources
New Delhi, July 16
The Central Government is examining legal implications and possible clauses to invoke sanctions on WhatsApp and Telegram, after the intermediaries submitted their replies to the Centre's notices on the 'username' feature, sources stated.
According to sources, a formal notification from the government is expected.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sent a notice to Meta seeking a detailed explanation of the proposed 'username' feature in WhatsApp. The government had also asked the company to put the rollout of the feature in India on hold until consultations are completed amid privacy and safety concerns.
Amid widening scrutiny of the 'username' feature, the Centre also sent a notice to Telegram after Meta.
Earlier in July, the representatives of Meta met MeitY officials to discuss the government's concerns over the feature, sources said. During the meeting, ministry officials conveyed concerns related to privacy, safety and the possibility of misuse.
The proposed "usernames" feature has raised concerns among internet users and cybersecurity experts, who fear it could enable impersonation by allowing cybercriminals to create usernames resembling those of individuals, organisations or government officials, thereby increasing the risk of fraud.
According to Meta, the username is an optional and unique identifier that users can choose for their WhatsApp account. Beginning with the "@" symbol, it allows users to receive messages or calls without sharing their phone number.
The company said usernames are different from display names, which appear on user profiles and are not required to be unique. Usernames, however, are unique to each account.
Meta also said that users who do not have a person's phone number saved will see the username by default during direct messages, calls and group chats. It added that certain usernames will be reserved for businesses, governments and public figures and cannot be claimed by others.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, I see both sides here. Usernames could help protect our phone numbers from spammers, which is actually a good thing. But the impersonation risk is real, especially in India where digital literacy is still growing. Hope the government finds a balanced solution rather than just banning things outright.
As someone who works in tech, I'm concerned this is over-regulation. The username feature is standard in apps like Telegram and Signal already. India needs to focus on building better cybersecurity infrastructure rather than slowing down innovation. But I get the concerns about impersonation - it's a valid point.
Yaar, why does the government always have to put a spanner in the works? WhatsApp is just trying to give us more privacy by hiding our numbers. Meanwhile, scammers are already everywhere on these platforms using fake accounts. At least with usernames, genuine users can communicate safely. Government should focus on catching real criminals instead! 😤
Smart move by MeitY. We've seen how badly things can go wrong with digital features in India - remember the Aadhaar scams? The username feature sounds good in theory but the implementation needs to be watertight. Especially concerning that they want to reserve usernames for businesses and govt officials - that's a huge responsibility. Let the consultations happen properly.
I appreciate that India is taking digital safety seriously. In the US, companies often roll out features first and deal with problems later. The impersonation risk is something Meta should have thought about before announcing this. But I also hope the government doesn't drag this out too long - we need privacy features like this.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.