WhatsApp on Thursday issued clarifications on its upcoming ‘Username’ feature, addressing privacy, safety and impersonation concerns as users begin reserving usernames ahead of the wider rollout later this year.The ‘Username’ feature is designed to let users connect on WhatsApp without sharing their phone numbers, particularly in group chats and conversations with new contacts.In its clarifications, WhatsApp addressed concerns around privacy, security, impersonation, discoverability and account protection, explaining how the feature is expected to work when it rolls out later this year.
The FAQs answered by WhatsApp
Are usernames mandatory?WhatsApp said the feature will be optional and users will not be required to create a username. “Nope, they are optional,” the Meta-owned firm confirmed.What if the username I want isn’t available?The company also explained why some usernames may be unavailable, noting that existing Instagram and Facebook usernames are reserved for their owners, while names of public figures, celebrities, government entities and Meta Verified accounts are protected to prevent impersonation.It gave three reasons for the unavailability of certain reason:
- It’s an existing Instagram or Facebook username; these are reserved for their owners.
- We’ve held well-known names and some variations of them – like public figures, celebrities, government entities and Meta-verified accounts – so they can only be claimed by their legitimate owners. If you try to reserve those, the system will say it’s not available.
- Someone already claimed a common name, in that case use the username generator.
What if someone creates a username similar to mine to impersonate me or run a scam, how do you stop someone from pretending to be me?Addressing the privacy concerns, WhatsApp said usernames will not be searchable, similar to phone numbers on the platform. It added that when username-based messaging becomes available, users will receive safety information about first-time contacts, including the sender’s country and account details, alongside the existing block and report tools. “Usernames are not available for messaging yet. When they are, and you get a message from someone new, we’ll let you know the country origin, and a warning for first time outreach,” it said. “Well-known public-figure names and their variations are held for verified owners. We’re also keeping a close eye on blocks and reports to take action against scammers,” it re-iterated.Can random people message me if they know or guess my username?It confirmed that the username is not a searchable element. “Just like you can’t search for a phone number in WhatsApp, you can’t search for a username. The best way to prevent someone from contacting you is to add a username key and to choose a username that is unique to WhatsApp,” it said.“All the current measures remain in place to prevent unwanted contact, including warnings with details about unknown senders (whether they’re a new account, if you share groups, what country they’re in) and the ability to block and report,” it added.What is a username key?The company also introduced a “username key”; an optional extra layer of protection that requires someone to know both a user’s username and the key before initiating contact. Users will also be able to change their usernames later, provided the new one is available. It explained it as, “An extra layer of protection you can enable with your username, so that another user will have to know both your username and your username key to contact you. You can reset your key at any time to stop new inbound contact through your username.”WhatsApp further said users who want the same username as their Instagram or Facebook account will need to link those accounts to verify ownership, after which they can unlink them if they choose. The company also refuted alleged claims that popular or well-known usernames can be reserved by anyone, saying such usernames are available only to their legitimate owners.
Centre’s notice to WhatsApp
The Centre has directed Meta-owned WhatsApp not to roll out its proposed username feature until consultations with the government are completed, citing concerns that it could fuel impersonation, phishing, digital arrest scams and financial fraud. In a notice, the government asked the company to submit a detailed explanation of the feature, along with supporting documents, within three days.“It is felt that the feature may materially increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks, by enabling bad actors to solicit and message victims,” the notice said. It also warned that usernames resembling those of individuals, public authorities, financial institutions and government agencies could facilitate identity spoofing.Responding to the notice, WhatsApp spokesperson said, “We’ve announced the option for people to reserve their preferred username on WhatsApp. The ability to use a username is not yet live and will roll out slowly later this year.”The company rep added that it has reserved usernames of “public figures, government entities, celebrities, verified Meta accounts” for their legitimate owners and introduced safeguards such as requiring users to know the exact username, limiting outreach to new users, blocking repeated attempts to guess username keys, and detecting impersonation and abuse patterns. It also said users will continue to need a phone number to use WhatsApp.Read more: Govt directs Meta not to roll out WhatsApp username feature, seeks explanation in 3 days; company reacts