Govt Extends Meta's Deadline to Respond on WhatsApp Usernames Till July 9
Meta has three more days to explain safeguards for WhatsApp usernames, which India says could increase impersonation and fraud risks.
- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology extended the deadline for Meta to respond to concerns surrounding WhatsApp's username feature to July 9, granting the company an additional three days.
- Earlier, the Centre flagged concerns that the username feature could materially increase online fraud, phishing, and impersonation attacks, directing Meta to pause the rollout in India until consultations are completed.
- While WhatsApp has 50 crore users in India, Meta maintains the feature includes multiple protections, including blocking repeated attempts to guess username keys and limiting new account contacts.
- A Meta delegation met officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Friday to discuss the matter, while the government also issued notices to Telegram and Signal regarding their username features.
- Last week, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed Telegram to strengthen platform-level safeguards and submit an Action Taken Report within 15 days, reflecting the government's broader focus on intermediary accountability.
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WhatsApp Username Rollout In India Put On Hold; Government Extends Reply Deadline
The Centre has given Meta three more days to respond to concerns over WhatsApp's upcoming username feature. The government is reviewing its potential impact on online fraud, impersonation and user safety before approving its rollout in India.
WhatsApp Username Feature Paused in India After Government Concerns | 📲 LatestLY
The Meta‑owned messaging platform has also been granted an additional three days to respond to the government notice seeking clarification on the feature. The original deadline for WhatsApp’s reply had lapsed on Friday. WhatsApp had proposed a username option which would allow users to communicate on WhatsApp without sharing their phone numbers. 📲 WhatsApp Username Feature Paused in India After Government Concerns.
WhatsApp username feature: Meta gets three more days to respond
New Delhi: Meta-owned WhatsApp has been granted more time to submit its response on the contentious ‘username’ feature and assured the government that it will not roll it out in India until discussions are complete, according to sources. The popular messaging platform has been given three more days to file its reply to the government notice on the controversial feature, as it sought more time to submit its response, sources told PTI. The usernam…
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