Indian govt has requested Meta to pause the rollout of WhatsApp’s deliberate username function within the nation, citing issues that it may improve impersonation, phishing and on-line fraud.

The Ministry of Electronics and Data Expertise (MeitY) issued a discover asking Meta to offer an in depth rationalization of the function inside three days.

The ministry has additionally directed the corporate to not roll it out in India till consultations are full, in keeping with stories citing authorities sources and a letter reviewed by Reuters.

WhatsApp introduced on 29 June that customers would be capable to reserve distinctive usernames earlier than the function turns into accessible later this yr. The corporate mentioned the change is meant to enhance privateness by permitting folks to begin conversations with out sharing telephone numbers.

The federal government is worried that usernames may very well be misused to create accounts resembling these of people, authorities our bodies, banks, manufacturers or public figures.

“It’s felt that the function could materially improve the incidence of on-line fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation assaults,” the discover mentioned, in keeping with Indian Categorical.

WhatsApp has mentioned the function is non-obligatory and that customers will nonetheless want a telephone quantity to make use of the app. It has additionally mentioned usernames won’t be searchable, there will probably be no public listing, and folks might want to know an actual username earlier than making first contact.

“Usernames are our newest step to make WhatsApp much more personal,” the corporate mentioned in its announcement. “There’s no listing to browse and no options – folks might want to know your precise username to contact you for the primary time.”

A WhatsApp spokesperson mentioned that the corporate had reserved high-profile names to assist stop impersonation, together with names linked to public figures, authorities entities, celebrities and verified Meta accounts. The corporate additionally mentioned lookalike variations of identified names can be held again.

The function has drawn criticism from some Indian expertise executives, who mentioned similar-looking usernames may create new alternatives for scams.

“Quickly you’ll have verified username on WhatsApp, after which unverified similar-sounding usernames,” Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma wrote on X.

Quickly you’ll have verified username on WhatsApp, after which unverified similar-sounding usernames….which in flip will… https://t.co/1zx89fUTis

— Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) June 29, 2026

MobiKwik co-founder and CEO Bipin Preet Singh additionally criticised the plan.

“Not a good suggestion in any respect. Will result in proliferation of fraud and impersonation,” he wrote, including that a number of variations of his title had already been taken.

Not a good suggestion in any respect. Will result in proliferation of fraud and impersonation. For instance I checked, most variations of my title already taken. Surprise what can or not it’s used for. https://t.co/Nu4DgKVFVm

— Bipin Preet Singh (@BipinSingh) June 30, 2026

WhatsApp has not but made usernames absolutely stay. The corporate mentioned customers can at present reserve most popular usernames, with the power to make use of them anticipated to roll out step by step later this yr.

The result in India will rely upon Meta’s response and additional consultations with the federal government.