India Halts WhatsApp Username Rollout Over Online Fraud Fears
In Focus
- WhatsApp introduced the username feature earlier this week
- India’s IT Ministry asked WhatsApp to provide details about the feature within three days
- Government officials said bad actors could use the feature to message unsuspecting users
The Indian government has halted the rollout of WhatsApp’s username feature over potential online fraud. In an official communication, the IT Ministry directed WhatsApp to provide details about the new feature within three days. Meta introduced the username feature earlier this week.
Why is India Worried About WhatsApp Usernames?
In a notice to WhatsApp, the government of India said that the new privacy feature could enable bad actors to message unsuspecting users. This could potentially increase incidences of online fraud, which was the basis for the temporary Telegram ban last month.
The Indian government added that the new feature could fuel WhatsApp digital arrest scams in India and facilitate impersonation. Government officials noted that financial institutions, individuals, public authorities and agencies use it to impersonate genuine people.
“We have already seen bad actors carry out impersonation-linked scams such as digital arrests through WhatsApp, and this feature could further help them,” a senior government official noted as cited by the Indian Express.
The tech community in India also raised concerns over phishing and impersonation risks, saying look-alike usernames could fuel the scams if not checked. Following the WhatsApp username feature halt order, the Indian government plans to assess the risks posed by the privacy tool and determine whether it aligns with the existing legal frameworks.
How Does the WhatsApp Username Privacy Feature Work?
Once rolled out, the new WhatsApp feature will enable users to pick a username and conceal their phone number when contacting another user for the first time. The selected username will serve as an optional unique identifier for WhatsApp account holders.
Users can use the name to message or call contacts on the messaging app while keeping their phone numbers private. The username feature, which is optional, provides an additional privacy layer by restricting who can contact a user. End-to-end encryption remains unchanged. While the feature changes how people identify and find each other on the messaging platform, WhatsApp is maintaining the end-to-end encryption for messages and calls.
Messaging platforms like Signal and Telegram have been using similar features. Last month, an Indian court rejected an appeal by Telegram to lift a week-long ban imposed by the government after a national exam leaked on the platform.
How WhatsApp Protects Users from Fraud
WhatsApp is taking several measures to protect users from impersonation and fraud. The Meta-owned platform said it has reserved names for public figures, celebrities and government entities to ensure only legitimate owners can claim them. The platform is also giving users the option to reserve their preferred username on WhatsApp.
Additionally, the platform said WhatsApp users will still require a phone number to use the messaging platform. To message each other anonymously, users must know the exact username, which limits the number of new contacts account holders can interact with. The platform added that repeated attempts to guess usernames will be blocked and its systems will identify and remove activities that reflect abuse and impersonation patterns.
