WhatsApp submits reply to govt notice on ‘username’ feature

WhatsApp has officially addressed the Indian government's concerns regarding its proposed username feature. According to sources, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is currently reviewing WhatsApp's response submitted on Thursday. The government had previously expressed apprehensions that this new feature could significantly escalate instances of online fraud, phishing scams, and impersonation attacks. As a result, the Centre instructed WhatsApp, which is owned by Meta, to refrain from launching the feature in India until thorough consultations could be conducted to the government's satisfaction. An official from the ministry confirmed that the response was received on Thursday, although specific details were not disclosed. This submission comes after a four-day extension was granted to WhatsApp, allowing the company additional time following a meeting with government officials on July 2. During the CII GCC Business Summit, IT Secretary S Krishnan noted that WhatsApp's reply was expected on that day. When asked about the responses from Telegram and Signal regarding similar notices, he mentioned that they had yet to be received, although reports suggest Telegram might have submitted its own response to MeitY. The proposed username feature is designed to enable users to communicate on WhatsApp without needing to share their phone numbers. However, the government’s notice, issued on July 1, raised concerns over potential cybercrime risks associated with this feature. It urged Meta to clarify why regulatory action should not be initiated under the IT Act due to these risks. MeitY issued similar notifications to Telegram and Signal on July 3, seeking information on the protective measures incorporated into their username features to mitigate risks such as impersonation and identity theft. Previously, WhatsApp had assured the government that it would delay the launch of the username feature until all discussions were finalized. Following the notice, Meta representatives had a meeting with IT ministry officials, during which they requested additional time to formulate their response. With around 500 million users in India, WhatsApp's actions will be closely watched in the context of these regulatory challenges.