WhatsApp Will Allow Users to Go by Usernames Instead of Phone Numbers, Closing a Privacy Blind Spot
WhatsApp said the feature will let users contact people without exposing phone numbers and will roll out gradually to more than 3 billion accounts.
- Today, Meta announced that WhatsApp users can now reserve unique usernames, allowing them to claim handles before the feature officially launches later this year to connect without sharing phone numbers.
- WhatsApp is adopting this feature to close a privacy gap that rival messaging apps like Telegram, Signal, and Wire addressed years ago, aiming to reduce reliance on phone numbers for initial contact.
- Alice Newton-Rex, Vice President of Product at WhatsApp, stated there is no public directory, meaning people must know a user's exact handle; users can also enable an optional username key for additional security.
- To prevent impersonation, WhatsApp is reserving handles for VIPs and organizations, while businesses and creators can claim their existing Instagram or Facebook handles to ensure consistency across Meta Platforms.
- With CRED founder Kunal Shah now overseeing the platform's direction, this rollout marks the first major product move under new leadership; the feature will roll out gradually in the coming months.
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Punch Newspapers
eNCAIndia asks Meta to hold WhatsApp username rollout over fraud fears
India has requested Meta to delay the WhatsApp username feature launch due to concerns over increased fraud and impersonation, citing a surge in cybercrime Read More: https://punchng.com/india-asks-meta-to-hold-whatsapp-username-rollout-over-fraud-fears/
Centre asks WhatsApp to pause username rollout over fraud concerns
The Union government has asked WhatsApp to pause the rollout of its new username feature, which would allow users to connect with contacts without sharing their phone numbers, the Hindustan Times reported on Thursday.The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a notice to the messaging platform, citing concerns that the feature could increase impersonation, identity theft, phishing and online fraud.The notice came after WhatsAp…
WhatsApp usernames are already raising impersonation red flags
WhatsApp this week started rolling out username reservations ahead of the broader launch planned later this year. The feature — which lets people find and message each other by handle instead of phone number — is already raising impersonation concerns, drawing scrutiny from security experts and regulators in India, the app’s largest market, with more than 500 million users. The rollout marks a shift in how people identify one another on WhatsApp…
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