Government Examining WhatsApp’s Reply Over Proposed Username Feature Amid Cybersecurity Concerns

New Delhi, July 10 : The government has received WhatsApp’s response to the notice issued over its proposed ‘username’ feature and is currently examining the submission, sources said. The notice was sent to the Meta-owned messaging platform after the Centre raised concerns that the feature could increase risks of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks. The government had asked WhatsApp not to launch the feature in India until consultations on the matter were completed. The feature would allow users to communicate on WhatsApp without sharing their phone numbers. WhatsApp had earlier sought additional time to respond and assured the government that the feature would not be rolled out in India until discussions were concluded. Sources said the company’s reply was received on Thursday night and is under review. There has been no official statement from WhatsApp regarding its submission. Earlier, IT Secretary S Krishnan said the government would examine responses from messaging platforms on concerns related to username-based communication features. Notices were also issued to platforms including Telegram and Signal seeking details on their safeguards against fraud and impersonation. WhatsApp has said the username feature is not yet active and will be introduced gradually later this year, with multiple security measures in place to prevent misuse. The company stated that users will still require a phone number to access WhatsApp and that additional protections will be implemented to identify and block suspicious activity.