Government takes a tough stance! WhatsApp and Telegram’s ‘username’ feature could face legal curbs..

The government is concerned that the introduction of the 'username' feature could lead to an increase in incidents such as cybercrime. According to sources, following the responses to its notices regarding the username feature, the central government is now examining legal aspects and potential provisions to impose restrictions on WhatsApp and Telegram. A formal notification from the government is expected.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had sent a notice to Meta seeking detailed information about the proposed username feature on WhatsApp. Citing privacy and security concerns, the government had asked the company to halt the feature's rollout in India until discussions were concluded. Amidst the scrutiny of the username feature, the Centre also issued a notice to Telegram following the one sent to Meta.

According to *The Economic Times*, sources revealed that Meta representatives met with MeitY officials in early July to discuss the government's concerns regarding the feature. During the meeting, ministry officials highlighted issues related to privacy, security, and the potential for misuse. The proposed username feature has raised concerns among internet users and cybersecurity experts; they fear that cybercriminals could impersonate individuals, organizations, or government officials by creating usernames that mimic them, thereby increasing the risk of fraud.

What does Meta say?
According to Meta, the username is an optional and unique identifier that users can choose for their WhatsApp accounts. Starting with the '@' symbol, it will allow users to send messages or make calls without sharing their phone numbers. The company stated that a username differs from a 'display name'—which appears on the user profile and does not need to be unique—whereas a username is unique to each account. Meta also stated that users who do not have a person's phone number will see that user's name by default during direct messages, calls, and group chats. It added that certain usernames would be reserved for businesses, government entities, and celebrities, and could not be claimed by others.

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