India’s government has ordered Meta to pause the rollout of a new “usernames” feature for WhatsApp until comprehensive consultations are completed, according to a government letter seen by Reuters.
The Ministry of Information and Technology has demanded the company explain within three days why regulatory action should not be initiated. The directive specifically targets a proposed tool that would let users initiate conversations without revealing their phone numbers.
A Meta spokesperson confirmed the company has announced the option for people to reserve a preferred username, noting the feature is not yet live. The company stated it has already reserved usernames for public figures, government entities, and verified Meta accounts to help prevent impersonation.
However, the IT ministry countered that the functionality could materially increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation attacks. Officials expressed deep concern that bad actors could exploit usernames resembling financial institutions or government agencies, facilitating identity spoofing.
This latest action follows recent scrutiny of other messaging platforms. India previously examined Telegram over its anonymity features and won a legal battle last month to uphold a temporary ban on that platform, arguing in court that username-based interactions created enforcement challenges.