Meta team meets IT ministry on WhatsApp username feature, to reply within three days

A team from Meta met officials of the IT Ministry on Thursday following a notice issued over the proposed rollout of the ‘username’ feature on WhatsApp in India, news agency PTI reported.According to sources, the meeting took place after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, or MeitY, summoned the company to seek clarity on the feature and its potential impact. Officials apprised the Meta team of the government’s concerns around the planned introduction of usernames on WhatsApp.Given that the timeline for furnishing a detailed explanation on the feature is three days, Meta is expected to submit its final response to the government within the stipulated period, sources said.“Meta team met MeitY officials today following the notice summoning them on the issue of rollout of the ‘usernames’ feature on WhatsApp in India. Ministry officials sensitised them about the government’s concern relating to the feature,” sources told PTI.Earlier on Wednesday, the Centre issued a notice to Meta questioning the planned username feature, flagging concerns that it could materially increase incidents of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks. The government directed the platform to pause the rollout of the feature until consultations on the issue are completed to the satisfaction of the government.The notice also asked Meta to explain why action should not be initiated against the company under the Information Technology Act and associated rules, citing the potential for a rise in cybercrimes linked to the new feature.The government further reminded Meta that WhatsApp, as a significant social media intermediary, is bound by due diligence obligations under the IT Act and its rules. These include taking reasonable measures to ensure user safety and preventing misuse of the platform.The proposed username feature is expected to allow users to connect without sharing their phone numbers, a change that has drawn scrutiny from regulators over possible misuse. Meta has not publicly commented on the meeting but is expected to address the concerns raised by the government in its formal reply.