A username feature has been added to WhatsApp, which has not even been launched yet, but there is an uproar about it. The Government of India has sent a notice to WhatsApp’s parent company Meta asking it to respond within three days. In view of security reasons, the government has asked WhatsApp not to launch its username feature without clarifying the matter. On this, WhatsApp today said that it has made several security arrangements to address the concerns of the government.
What argument has WhatsApp given?
A WhatsApp spokesperson says, “We’ve announced the option for people to reserve their preferred username on WhatsApp. Username usage is not live yet and will be rolled out gradually later this year. To protect against impersonation, we’ve reserved the biggest names – such as celebrities, government entities, celebrities, verified Meta accounts, etc. Only their original owners can claim them; names similar to well-known names are also reserved.
Company’s response regarding security arrangements
Users still need a phone number to use WhatsApp, and we’ve created layered protections to protect against username scams: Other users must know your correct username to message you, we’ll limit how many new people an account can contact, block repeated attempts to guess someone’s username, and have systems in place to prevent common impersonations and scams. To detect patterns of misuse and stop them.
The company gave assurance
When this feature becomes available and someone first messages you using your username, we’ll show you if they’re a new account, if they’re your contact, if you have any common groups, and if they’re from another country, so you can decide whether to reply.”
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The username feature of WhatsApp got stuck as soon as it was launched, the government asked for clarification in 3 days.
SK Sharma is a content writer who writes on news, entertainment, and lifestyle topics. She has over four years of experience and is known for conveying information in simple and clear language.
