Why the Indian Government Sent a Notice to Meta Over WhatsApp’s New Feature

Last updated on July 10th, 2026 at 11:38 am

The Indian Government has sent a notice to Meta regarding the proposed launch of the new feature, “WhatsApp usernames,” and is seeking to have the company postpone its rollout in India until consultations are complete.

As per reports, the Ministry has asked Meta to provide an elaborate account of the feature and the measures it would include to ensure its security and prevent misuse. Meta has been granted three days to respond to the request.

What Is the New WhatsApp Username Feature?

The suggested WhatsApp feature would allow users to have a distinctive username that would help them to interact with people without giving out their mobile phone numbers.

The reason behind the feature is to ensure that people can interact in private using their usernames rather than their phone numbers. There are many such features on various messaging and social media platforms currently. But before being implemented in India, the Indian government wishes to evaluate its potential cybersecurity threats.

Why Has the Government Sent a Notice?

According to official sources, there are worries that the username-based system will give more opportunity for the cyber criminals to carry out an impersonation of the person, company, bank, or any other authority.

The officials have expressed their fears about the scammers who can create a username which looks similar to some well-known organisation or individual and use them for conducting phishing attacks or other digital arrest scams which have gained popularity in India.

In light of this situation, the government has asked Meta not to go ahead with the new feature until the consultation is over.

Why Is Impersonation Such a Big Concern?

There have been instances of increasing amounts of online fraud in India over the recent past.

The cybercrooks have been using fabricated identities to make users believe that they are in touch with bank employees, cops, customer-care representatives, and even representatives of the government.

It is thought that if the usernames are not secured enough, the criminals might be able to create fake identities easily and contact potential victims through means other than their phone numbers.

What Has Meta Said?

Meta has justified the feature by saying that the username feature has multiple measures built into it that are meant to minimize any misuse.

As per the company, users can have full control over their user names, and there are measures like limitations on username guessing and contact controls that would help in avoiding any impersonation or spamming.

Meta has mentioned that the feature is under deployment in stages worldwide and it is working with the authorities in India during this consultation period.

Will the Feature Launch in India?

Until now, the process has almost stopped. The Indian government has asked Meta to refrain from introducing the username feature in WhatsApp in India until the consultation is over. The Indian government has also said that regulatory action can be taken if concerns are not dealt with.

What Does This Mean for WhatsApp Users?

Currently, nothing happens to the current users of WhatsApp in India. They will still use their registered phone numbers to communicate. Should the usernames feature be approved in future, then it will be introduced with some security measures taken into consideration after the recommendations made by the Indian government.

This will serve as an alert to the users to be wary of any suspicious messages, regardless of the legitimacy of the account they are being received from.

Why This Matters Beyond WhatsApp

The notice is part of the larger effort by the government to tighten supervision of digital platforms in view of increasing sophistication in AI-fueled scams, impersonations, and frauds.

Regulators are now emphasizing making sure that security measures are in place for any new technology feature before it becomes available to millions of users.

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Conclusion

The notice issued by the government to Meta is not a ban on the newly introduced username feature on WhatsApp but is rather a precautionary measure to assess the security ramifications of the same.

Unless Meta sorts out the issues regarding phishing and online frauds, the launch of this privacy feature in India will be put on hold. The result of such consultations can have implications for future privacy features on other digital platforms in India.

WhatsApp’s username feature assures privacy, but the Indian government wants to make sure that privacy does not mean cyber fraud.