WhatsApp Expands Privacy Tools With Username Feature

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For years, WhatsApp has relied on phone numbers as the foundation of its identity system. While that made onboarding simple, it also meant users had to share their personal number with anyone they wanted to message. As concerns around digital privacy continue to grow, messaging platforms are increasingly looking for ways to separate identity from personal contact information.

Meta is now taking a significant step in that direction. WhatsApp has announced that it will begin allowing users to reserve usernames starting next week, ahead of a broader rollout of the feature later this year. The move introduces an additional identity layer that lets people connect without exposing their mobile numbers.

Moving Beyond Phone Numbers

According to WhatsApp, usernames are designed to improve user privacy rather than create another social discovery platform.

“Usernames are our latest step to make WhatsApp even more private. There's no directory to browse and no suggestions;...

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