Centre Issues Notices To Telegram, Signal Over Username Features
The ministry said anonymous usernames could fuel fraud and impersonation as it expands scrutiny from app blocks to individual features.
- On Thursday, July 2, 2026, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued notices to messaging platforms Telegram and Signal, demanding details on safeguards against fraud and impersonation linked to username-based features.
- This regulatory move follows the government's Wednesday directive ordering Meta-owned WhatsApp to pause its username rollout, as regulators fear anonymity-adjacent features complicate efforts to trace phishing and digital arrest scams.
- Authorities specifically asked Telegram to justify the continued availability of its username feature, while Signal faces scrutiny despite its stricter privacy architecture having drawn little regulatory attention in India previously.
- The Internet Freedom Foundation criticized the notices, claiming they "widen an unconstitutional dragnet over privacy features" and lack a basis in law, as both Telegram and Signal have yet to issue public responses.
- These notices reflect India's broader policy initiative to tighten control over messaging anonymity, continuing a trend of increased scrutiny that saw Telegram temporarily blocked nationwide last June.
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India notified Telegram and Signal message platforms, requesting explanations about security measures around resources that allow users to post messages without revealing their phone numbers, said a government source. Notifications represent an escalation in online platform monitoring in India. India has come to block an entire application, as happened temporarily with Telegram last month, and now it has gone on to analyze individual resources f…
India widens its usernames crackdown to Telegram and Signal
A government source says the IT ministry has sent notices to both apps, a day after ordering WhatsApp to pause its own usernames rollout. India’s technology ministry has sent notices to Telegram and Signal raising concerns over their usernames features, a government source told Reuters, extending a regulatory push that began with WhatsApp just a […] This story continues at The Next Web
Centre Issues Notices To Telegram, Signal Over Username Features
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued formal notices to messaging platforms Telegram and Signal, requesting detailed explanations of their username features and the safeguards in place to prevent misuse. This action follows a similar notice sent to WhatsApp regarding its proposed username feature. The government’s primary concern is that usernames, which allow users to connect without sharing phone numbers, co…
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