Indian Government Halts WhatsApp Username Feature Over Escalating Cybercrime Concerns
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has officially directed Meta to pause the rollout of its long-awaited WhatsApp “usernames” feature in India. Citing a significant risk to digital security, the government has demanded a detailed technical explanation and documentation from the social media giant within three days, threatening regulatory action under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and IT Rules, 2021.
While Meta has championed the upcoming update as a milestone for user privacy—allowing individuals to initiate conversations using a unique handle instead of revealing their phone numbers—Indian authorities fear it will trigger an aggressive surge in untraceable cybercrimes. Specifically, officials warned that the feature could easily facilitate identity spoofing, phishing attacks, financial fraud, and “digital arrest” scams. The primary concern is that malicious actors might register lookalike usernames resembling major financial institutions, government agencies, or public figures to deceive unsuspecting citizens.
In response to the government’s mandate, a...
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