Government Puts Hold on WhatsApp’s New Username Feature

The Indian government has asked Meta to pause the rollout of WhatsApp’s much-awaited Username feature. The new feature will allow users to chat without sharing their phone numbers, but the government fears it could be misused for fake identities and online scams.

The government has given Meta three days to respond on security aspects. Until consultations are complete, the feature will not be launched in India.

Experts believe while the feature enhances privacy, it may make initial tracing of cybercriminals difficult. The government wants to ensure strong safeguards before allowing the rollout.