{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "Meta Defends WhatsApp's Upcoming Username Feature After Government Notice",
  "summary": "India's government has sent Meta a notice demanding a response within three days over WhatsApp's yet-to-launch username feature, prompting the company to detail the safety measures it has built around it.",
  "content": "WhatsApp's upcoming username feature hasn't even launched yet, but it is already at the centre of a row. The Indian government has sent a notice to Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, asking for a response within three days. Citing security concerns, the government has said WhatsApp should not roll out the username feature until the issue is fully addressed. In response, WhatsApp said it has already built several layers of safety measures to address the government's concerns.\n\nWhat triggered the row\nWhatsApp recently announced that users would be able to reserve a preferred username for themselves. However, the ability to actually use that username hasn't gone live yet, and it is set to be rolled out gradually later this year. Even before the feature launches, the government fears it could be misused, which is why the notice was sent to Meta.\n\nWhatsApp's response\nA WhatsApp spokesperson said the company has already reserved the biggest and most recognisable names to guard against impersonation. This includes major public figures, government entities, celebrities and verified Meta accounts, ensuring these names can only be claimed by their genuine owners. On top of that, usernames closely resembling these well-known names have also been blocked in advance, so no one can create a lookalike name to mislead people.\n\nThe safety measures in place\nWhatsApp clarified that even after usernames roll out, a phone number will still be required to use the app. The company said it has built multi-layered protections against scams: to message someone, the other person must know the exact correct username, meaning it cannot simply be guessed. There will also be a limit on how many new people any single account can contact. Repeated attempts to guess someone's username will be automatically blocked by the system. In addition, the company has systems in place designed to detect and stop common patterns of impersonation and misuse.\n\nWhat users are being promised\nWhatsApp also said that once the feature becomes available to the public, when someone messages a user for the first time through their username, that user will be shown key details before deciding how to respond. This includes whether the sender is on a new account, whether they are already a saved contact, whether there are any groups in common, and whether the message is coming from another country. The company said the goal of all these measures is to make the username feature safe and trustworthy right from the start.\n\nWhat this means for you\nWhatsApp users will feel the effects of this feature directly once it rolls out, both in terms of privacy and safety.\n\n• Across India: Once live, the feature will let people chat using just a username instead of sharing their phone number, but the government's intervention before launch is aimed at curbing fraud through fake or lookalike names.\n• For users: When someone messages you for the first time via a username, WhatsApp says you'll see key details about them upfront, making it easier to spot suspicious or scam messages before replying.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. What is WhatsApp's username feature?\nIt is a feature that will let users reserve a preferred username and be identified through it instead of just their phone number.\n\n2. Why did the government send WhatsApp a notice?\nCiting security concerns, the government asked Meta not to launch the username feature until the related issues are fully addressed.\n\n3. How much time did the government give for a response?\nThe government asked Meta to respond within three days.\n\n4. When will the username feature launch?\nIt is set to be rolled out gradually later this year.\n\n5. Will phone numbers become unnecessary once usernames arrive?\nNo, a phone number will still be required to use WhatsApp.\n\n6. What has WhatsApp done to prevent impersonation?\nThe company has pre-reserved names of major public figures, government entities, celebrities and verified Meta accounts, along with names closely resembling them.\n\n7. What safety measures protect against username-based scams?\nMessaging someone requires knowing their exact username, there will be limits on new contacts per account, and repeated attempts to guess usernames will be blocked.\n\n8. What information will a user see when messaged via a username for the first time?\nThey will see whether the sender is a new account, an existing contact, shares a common group, or is messaging from another country.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/technology/yuzaranema-phichara-para-sarakara-ka-aitaraza-meta-ne-ginae-suraksha-intazama-3907",
  "category": "Technology",
  "publishedAt": "2026-07-01",
  "tags": [
    "WhatsApp username",
    "Meta notice",
    "Indian government",
    "WhatsApp security",
    "impersonation",
    "WhatsApp feature"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}