The Indian government has asked Meta Platforms to suspend the rollout of WhatsApp’s proposed username feature in the country over fears that it could fuel online fraud, impersonation and phishing attacks.
The directive, issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), comes days after WhatsApp announced plans to introduce usernames globally, allowing users to connect without sharing their phone numbers in a move aimed at enhancing privacy.
India, WhatsApp’s largest market with more than 500 million users, expressed concern that the feature could make it easier for cybercriminals to impersonate individuals and organisations, particularly among users with limited digital literacy.
According to media reports, the ministry, in a letter to Meta, warned that the feature could increase incidents of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and identity theft.
A senior government official was quoted as saying that malicious actors could claim usernames resembling those of legitimate individuals and use them to deceive unsuspecting users.
The ministry has reportedly asked Meta not to launch the feature in India until consultations with the government are concluded and the company provides satisfactory explanations on the safeguards built into the system. Authorities have also asked WhatsApp to respond to the concerns within three days.
Responding to the concerns, Meta said the username feature had not yet gone live in India and stressed that multiple security measures had been incorporated to prevent abuse.
The company said usernames for high-profile public figures and verified organisations had already been reserved to prevent impersonation.
Meta added that users would still require a phone number to register for WhatsApp and that the platform had introduced several layers of protection, including limits on messaging unknown users, restrictions on repeated attempts to guess usernames, and systems to detect and remove impersonation and scam-related activities.
The latest development comes as India intensifies efforts to combat cybercrime amid a sharp rise in digital fraud cases across the country.
Government data indicate that financial losses from cyber fraud have risen significantly in recent years, prompting closer scrutiny of digital platforms and their security features.
