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India tells WhatsApp to halt usernames rollout, justify feature or face action
The ministry gave WhatsApp three days to respond and said the feature could increase fraud, phishing and impersonation, citing more than 850 million users in India.
- On Wednesday, India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology directed WhatsApp to halt its username feature rollout, citing concerns the anonymity could increase fraud and impersonation attacks.
- India, WhatsApp's biggest market with more than 850 million users, has seen cybercrime spike with nearly 102,000 cases registered in 2024, up 18% from the previous year.
- WhatsApp, owned by Mark Zuckerberg-led Meta, defended the update as a "core privacy feature," with Vice President Alice Newton-Rex noting safeguards including reserved high-profile usernames to prevent impersonation.
- The ministry's notice gave the platform three days to respond and barred the rollout until consultations with the government concluded to their satisfaction.
- Criticizing the order, the Internet Freedom Foundation argued it has "no clear basis in law," while the intervention marks an escalation in India's policing of global tech platforms.
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66 Articles
Centre Puts Messaging Apps Telegram And Signal On Notice Over Username Risks Amid WhatsApp Scrutiny
Centre has extended the scrutiny over messaging app usernames, asking Telegram and Signal to explain safeguards for username features after warning that WhatsApp’s planned rollout could fuel fraud.
·Mumbai, India
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After WhatsApp, Centre Sends Notices To Telegram, Signal Over Usernames: Sources
The Centre has issued notices to messaging platforms Telegram and Signal over the username feature -- much like the one it sent to WhatsApp yesterday for the planned feature that is yet to be rolled out, sources told NDTV Profit. Both platforms have been directed to furnish reports on the username feature and the measures taken to ensure safety. Telegram already has the username feature. For Signal, the feature is present but is optional.
·New Delhi, India
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources66
Leaning Left7Leaning Right13Center11Last UpdatedBias Distribution42% Right
Bias Distribution
- 42% of the sources lean Right
42% Right
L 23%
C 35%
R 42%
Factuality
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