WhatsApp responds to MeitY notice on username feature; Government reviews reply
The Centre is examining WhatsApp's response to MeitY's notice over its proposed username feature, which would allow users to connect without sharing their phone numbers. The government has asked the Meta-owned platform to defer the feature's rollout in India until consultations are completed, citing concerns over online fraud, phishing and impersonation.
Published By: Deepti Ratnam | Published: Jul 10, 2026, 09:04 AM (IST)
WhatsApp recently launched a Username feature which has come under regulatory scrutiny in India since its release. Now, the central government is reviewing the messaging platform's response to the concerns related to the feature. According to India government, the feature could inadvertently create a new ways for cyber crimes and fraud along with increasing online impersonation. To recall, government has already directed the Meta-owned platform to hold back the feature's rollout in the country until all the consultations are done.
The development comes week after the Center raised its concerns over WhastApp feature called Username. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) raised question as to why action should not be initiated under the IT Act and the Information Technology. They raised concerns that allowing users to connect without phone numbers could potentially increase the risk of phishing attacks, cyber frauds, digital arrest scams, and more.
Why Meity asked WhatsApp to stop rollout?
As previously noted, Meity issued a formal notice to Meta, wherein the company has been asked to not to launch the username feature in India. The tech giant is asked to stop the rollout until consultations are made as per government's satisfaction.
Besides this, the notice also sought an explanation about what's the need of Username feature and why action should not be initiated under the Information Technology Act and its related rules. According to the official government notice, the proposed feature could pose a threat and risk to users and it will be easier for fraudsters to conceal their identities. Not just this, it will also complicate efforts to trace cybercriminals and protect users.
The Centre also reminded Meta that WhatsApp is one of the significant social media platform in India and hence it should comply with the due diligence prescribed under the IT Act and its associated rules.
WhatsApp's Response
After receiving the notice, WhatsApp asked for more time to respond. The company also told the government that the username feature will not be available in the country before they talk with government officials.
MeitY has now received WhatsApp's response and is looking into the submissions by the company, said sources of the PTI. There is no official public statement from WhatsApp about its reply.
Telegram and Signal are yet to reply
On the sidelines of the CII GCC Business Summit on Thursday, IT Secretary S. Krishnan said that government anticipates a response from WhatsApp on Thursday.
Questioning them on whether platforms like Telegram and Signal have done anything similar following the notices sent under their existing username-based systems, Krishnan said there was time for them to respond.
The government will 'examine this issue', he said, meaning they will look at the responses before determining the next steps.
Meta officials meeting government representatives
The IT Ministry had also invited the representatives of Meta after the notice. A team from the company met with government officials last Friday to discuss the proposed feature and put their concerns.
The decision of the ongoing review could mean that WhatsApp gets approval for the feature in India or it'll need to add more protection before it can be made available to users.
Reason why WhaysApp username feature drawing attention?
The username feature introduced by WhatsApp is meant to provide users with an extra layer of privacy, so that they can communicate with other users without having to tell them their mobile phone number. Such a system is already in place on a number of messaging platforms, where people can use special user names to search for or communicate with other users, rather than phone numbers.
The feature has been designed to enhance the privacy and ease of use of users, but there are concerns that it may complicate investigations for law enforcement agencies in India dealing with cybercrime. If sufficient protection is not incorporated into the system, fraudsters may use anonymity provided by the names of the users to trick the user, and make it harder to trace and recognize.
India's growing concern over cybercrime
The government concerns coincide with India having reported significant growth in cases of online financial fraud, phishing, fake customer care scams, investment frauds and what is known as 'digital arrest' scams. Often cybercriminals pretend that they are police officers, government officials or even bank representatives and force the victims to transfer money or divulge sensitive information.
There are concerns that the use of usernames without adequate authentication and protection could lead to more opportunities for scammers to adopt a fake username or mask their identity using legitimate users' names.
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