Centre To Examine WhatsApp User ID Feature Over Fraud Concerns

The Centre will examine WhatsApp’s upcoming username feature amid concerns that it could increase the risk of online fraud and impersonation.

Government officials have indicated that if required, a notice may be issued to Meta as part of the review. The assessment will focus on the feature’s security and privacy implications before its wider rollout.

Officials Warn Platforms Could Be Held Accountable

According to government officials, messaging platforms could face regulatory scrutiny if new features create opportunities for fraud, impersonation, scams or misinformation.

Speaking to The Times of India, officials said platforms are responsible for ensuring their products are not misused.

“It is WhatsApp that has to worry, not us,” an official was quoted as saying.

Officials also said misuse through usernames, edited messages, fake groups or impersonation could invite action similar to the regulatory measures taken against Telegram during the NEET examination controversy.

“Platforms must ensure their architecture is not used to create mischief. If it is, the response will be calibrated but firm,” an official said.

WhatsApp Says Feature Is Designed To Improve Privacy

Responding to the concerns, a WhatsApp spokesperson said the username feature is intended to strengthen user privacy by allowing people to communicate without sharing their phone numbers.

The company said it has built several safeguards to prevent misuse, including systems to detect impersonation, limits on how many new users an account can contact through usernames, protections against repeated username-guessing attempts, and reservation of high-profile usernames associated with public figures, government entities and celebrities.

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Government Says Results Matter More Than Assurances

Government officials said platforms will ultimately be judged by how effectively they prevent misuse rather than by the safeguards they promise.

Officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said the government is strengthening India’s cyber defences through technological and human resources, while noting that weak passwords, careless device usage and poor endpoint security remain major vulnerabilities.

“I will never say we are 100% cyber secure. This is something against which we have to be eternally vigilant,” a senior official said.

Industry Leaders Raise Concerns

WhatsApp is expected to roll out the username feature later this year. While privacy advocates say it could reduce risks such as contact scraping and SIM-swapping attacks by eliminating the need to share phone numbers, experts have expressed concerns about identity fraud, impersonation and data-sharing implications.

Several industry leaders have also voiced reservations.

Vijay Shekhar Sharma wrote on X, “Soon you will have verified username on WhatsApp, and then unverified similar-sounding usernames.”

Bipin Preet Singh also raised concerns, posting, “Not a good idea at all. Will lead to proliferation of fraud and impersonation. For example, I checked, most variations of my name already taken. Wonder what can it be used for.”

Impersonation And Username Squatting Under Spotlight

One of the key concerns surrounding the feature is the possibility of impersonation and username squatting.

Several users have reported being able to reserve usernames resembling those of prominent personalities and organisations, including names similar to Kunal Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Cybersecurity experts warn that fraudsters could exploit lookalike usernames to impersonate banks, brands, government agencies, public figures and celebrities, potentially creating new avenues for online scams and misinformation.

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