India directs Meta to halt WhatsApp usernames feature until consultations are complete
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has given Meta three days to provide a detailed report. Photograph: (AFP)
The feature, already open for reservations in some markets and slated for wider rollout later in 2026, is designed to allow users to chat, join groups or contact businesses via handles like @exampleuser rather than their mobile numbers.
New Delhi: The Indian government has issued a formal notice to Meta, directing the technology giant to explain its new WhatsApp “usernames” feature and suspend any rollout in the country until further consultations are complete. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has given Meta three days to provide a detailed report on how the privacy-focused update will work, amid mounting concerns over impersonation, online fraud and challenges to traceability.
WhatsApp, used by hundreds of millions in India, announced last week that users would soon be able to reserve unique usernames, allowing them to connect with others without sharing their phone numbers. The feature, already open for reservations in some markets and slated for wider rollout later in 2026, is designed to allow users to chat, join groups or contact businesses via handles like @exampleuser rather than their mobile numbers.
Meta has described the change as a major step forward, with safeguards including reserved names for public figures, celebrities and government entities, limits on contact attempts and no public directory of usernames. WhatsApp head Kunal Shah, an Indian fintech entrepreneur recently appointed to the role, promoted the username feature as “a more private way to connect”.
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But it is clear that the Indian government is not convinced and is concerned that fraudsters could create fake profiles mimicking officials or agencies, especially using international numbers, making it harder to trace perpetrators. Meta has yet to respond publicly to the notice.
For the social media giant, India represents one of WhatsApp’s largest and fastest-growing markets, driving user numbers and engagement that bolster the company’s global valuation.
