India asks Meta to halt WhatsApp username rollout, citing fraud risks

WhatsApp advertises usernames as a way to chat without sharing phone numbers. File. | Photo Credit: AP

Published - July 05, 2026 06:56 am IST

By Aroon Deep

The Story So Far

On July 1, 2026, the Union government sent a notice to Meta asking it to stop the rollout of WhatsApp’s username feature, for which the Meta-owned messaging platform is currently taking reservations. In a notice to the social media platform, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) wrote that hiding phone numbers and only showing usernames may increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation attacks.

What Is the WhatsApp Username Feature?

WhatsApp advertises usernames as a way to chat without sharing phone numbers. Instead of a mobile number, new contacts will only see your chosen username. This is an optional feature.

Key details:

• There is no search directory of usernames within WhatsApp.
• To contact someone, you need to know the person’s exact username.
• Users concerned about someone guessing their username can set a personal identification number (PIN). Even someone who knows your username will not be able to contact you without the PIN.

The feature is yet to be rolled out. Meta has said it will be made widely available over the next few months with multiple safeguards in place.

Why Is the Government Concerned About the Feature?

MeitY said in its notice, a copy of which was reviewed by The Hindu, that the feature could:

“Facilitate impersonation and identity spoofing, including impersonation of individuals, public authorities, financial institutions, and government agencies, by permitting the adoption of usernames closely resembling those of genuine persons or institutions.”

Echoing MeitY’s concerns, some public personalities have said that variations of their names have already been reserved by users. In a post on X, MobiKwik founder Bipin Preet Singh said this had happened to him. He wrote:

“Not a good idea at all. Will lead to proliferation of fraud and impersonation.”

MeitY also said in its notice that the feature may materially increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation attacks:

“By enabling bad actors to solicit and message victims.”

Shortly thereafter, the government sent similar notices to Telegram, Signal, and Arattai, which have had username features that allow phone number concealment for quite some time already.

Not true: WhatsApp says claims of people reserving popular, well-known usernames false

What Is WhatsApp’s Response to These Concerns?

A WhatsApp spokesperson said that Meta had already “reserved” usernames of prominent personalities to prevent those handles from being claimed by imposters. According to its statement, prominent personalities include:

• Public figures
• Government entities
• Celebrities
• Verified Meta accounts

If you receive a message from a user who has hidden their phone number, Meta says WhatsApp will display:

• The sender’s country of origin
• Whether they are already saved in your phonebook

WhatsApp officials met MeitY officials on July 3 to present these views. A written response to the government’s notice was due on July 4.

Users can choose to avoid responding to strangers, a spokesperson said on July 1.

How does WhatsApp’s proposed username feature compare to Telegram’s? | Explained

Can the Government Dictate an App’s Features?

It is unclear whether a feature on a privately owned and operated app such as WhatsApp can be vetoed.