The Central Government has examined the legal implications and possible clauses to invoke sanctions on WhatsApp and Telegram after both intermediaries submitted their replies to the Centre’s notices regarding the proposed username feature.
As per media reports, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has been expected to issue a formal notification after reviewing the submissions. The ministry has sent a notice to Meta seeking a detailed explanation of the proposed WhatsApp username feature and has asked the company to keep its rollout in India on hold until consultations have been completed over privacy and safety concerns.
The Centre has also sent a notice to Telegram following its notice to Meta as scrutiny over the proposed feature has widened.
Earlier this month, representatives of Meta have met MeitY officials to discuss the government’s concerns regarding the feature. During the meeting, ministry officials have raised concerns related to privacy, safety and the possibility of misuse, according to sources.
The proposed username feature has raised concerns among internet users and cybersecurity experts, who have warned that it could enable impersonation by allowing cybercriminals to create usernames resembling those of individuals, organisations or government officials, thereby increasing the risk of fraud.
According to Meta, usernames have been designed as an optional and unique identifier for WhatsApp accounts. Beginning with the “@” symbol, the feature has allowed users to receive messages or calls without sharing their phone numbers.
The company has stated that usernames are different from display names, which appear on user profiles and are not required to be unique. Usernames, however, have remained unique to each account.
Meta has also stated that users who do not have a person’s phone number saved will see the username by default during direct messages, calls and group chats. The company has added that certain usernames will be reserved for businesses, governments and public figures and cannot be claimed by others.
