Govt gives WhatsApp more time to explain username feature; rollout remains on hold

The Centre has granted WhatsApp an additional three days to respond to concerns over its proposed username feature after the Meta-owned messaging platform had sought more time to submit its explanation to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).WhatsApp has also assured the Centre that it will not roll out the feature in India until the consultations with the government are completed, government officials said. The deadline for responding to the notice originally expired last week.The dispute concerns WhatsApp’s proposed username system, which would let users find and contact each other with unique usernames, rather than their mobile phone numbers. However, the government has raised concerns that the feature could increase the risk of online fraud, phishing attacks, impersonation and what are called “digital arrest” scams, and MeitY has sought a detailed explanation from the company.The government last week ordered Meta to pause the feature’s launch until an ongoing discussion reached what it deemed a satisfactory conclusion. The notice also reportedly asked the company to explain why action should not be taken under the Information Technology Act and rules thereto if the feature is found to be causing cybercrime risks.“After the notice, a delegation from Meta met officials from the IT Ministry. The government has reminded WhatsApp that it continues to be under due diligence obligations as a Significant Social Media Intermediary (SSMI) under the Information Technology Act and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, reports have said.Also read: MeitY extends Meta’s deadline on WhatsApp username issue to July 9WhatsApp, meanwhile, has said the username feature is still under development and will be rolled out slowly later this year. The company has emphasised that a phone number will still be required to create an account and that it has put in place multiple safeguards to prevent abuse.The company said it would reserve usernames linked to public figures, government entities, celebrities and verified Meta accounts for their rightful owners. WhatsApp also plans to restrict unsolicited messages, prevent people from repeatedly trying to guess usernames and introduce systems to identify suspicious activity.The platform also said users receiving a first-time message via a username will be provided with contextual information, including if the sender is a new account, in other countries or shares mutual groups in other countries, to help recipients decide whether to engage with the message.The government’s scrutiny of the user name facility on WhatsApp is part of a wider effort to boost online safety and tackle cybercrime, as fraudsters increasingly exploit digital platforms for impersonation and scamming activities.