New Delhi, July 1: The Central government has issued a notice to Meta over its proposed rollout of the WhatsApp username feature in India, warning that it could lead to a rise in online fraud, phishing attempts, digital arrest scams, and identity impersonation.
In its notice, the Centre expressed concern that the new feature could make it easier for cybercriminals to impersonate individuals, government agencies, financial institutions, and other trusted entities by adopting usernames that closely resemble legitimate identities.
The government said the feature may significantly increase cybercrime by allowing malicious actors to contact potential victims without relying on phone numbers. It also cautioned that the system could facilitate identity spoofing and impersonation attacks, creating new risks for users.
The notice directs Meta to provide a detailed explanation, supported by relevant documents, within three days. It also instructs the company not to roll out the feature in India until consultations with the government are completed to its satisfaction.
According to the notice, the government has sought an explanation as to why regulatory action should not be initiated under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, and other applicable laws for introducing a feature that could potentially increase cybercrime.
Meta has described the username feature as an optional identifier that allows users to create a unique username beginning with the "@" symbol, such as@Name123. The company says the feature is designed to let people connect on WhatsApp without sharing their phone numbers, thereby improving user privacy.
The username is separate from a user's display name, which appears on their profile and does not have to be unique. In contrast, each username must be unique to a single account. Users who do not have a person's phone number saved will see the username by default when interacting through group chats, direct messages, or calls.
Meta added that usernames will always be displayed with the "@" prefix to distinguish them from display names and phone numbers. If a desired username is already in use, users must choose another one. The company also said certain usernames will be reserved for businesses, government organisations, and public figures to prevent misuse.
