New Delhi: The Government on Wednesday expressed deep concern over a new username feature introduced by the social messaging platform WhatsApp, indicating that the development is being monitored closely due to potential threats to digital security. Highly placed official sources revealed that the ministry is thoroughly examining the legal aspects of the feature and the company could soon be served a formal notice regarding the matter.
Officials emphasized that social media platforms bear a fundamental responsibility to ensure their product architectures are not misused for impersonation, financial scams, or the spread of misinformation. Sources warned that any systemic misuse through usernames, edited messages, fake groups, or identity fraud could invite stringent regulatory action. The government highlighted that its response would be calibrated but firm, drawing parallels to the decisive measures previously taken against Telegram during the high-profile NEET examination controversy.
The upcoming feature, which WhatsApp is expected to roll out later this year, is designed to allow users to communicate seamlessly without the necessity of sharing their personal phone numbers. While privacy advocates argue that the transition to usernames could significantly reduce user exposure to digital risks such as contact scraping and malicious SIM-swapping attacks, cybersecurity experts and regulators remain wary. The primary concern stems from the risk of identity fraud, as bad actors could potentially register usernames under anyone’s name to create mischief or deceive unsuspecting users. The ministry plans to discuss these data-sharing implications and security loopholes with relevant departments to safeguard the digital ecosystem.
