WhatsApp axes rollout of major update after urging users to choose their usernames now

WhatsApp is poised to become more personalised than ever, with Meta rolling out the ability to get your own username.

We'd like to remind you that this will be visible to everyone, so if your boss is likely to message you on WhatsApp, we suggest you think twice before referring to yourself as SweetNips69.

Meta is also going to be on it in terms of avoiding offensive or lewd names, although we imagine many will come up with creative ways to cheat the system.

The idea of WhatsApp usernames is to improve privacy, with it meaning others will only be able to see this instead of your actual phone number.

Promoting the update, Meta referred to this as “a major privacy feature designed to help you connect with new people without giving away your phone number." It implored users to reserve their usernames while they can, as John and Jane Smith are likely to be snapped up pretty quickly.

India puts the brakes on WhatsApp usernames

Cybersecurity experts already warned that WhatsApp usernames could leave you vulnerable to scams, with bad actors potentially able to create lookalike accounts that get you to hand over sensitive data or financials. Some are already duped by those scam texts from your kids or mates asking you to lend them $10, but imagine this situation being amplified.

These concerns have been shared by India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which has ordered Meta to suspend its biggest WhatsApp update yet until an assessment of its security can be carried out.

It's said that India is WhatsApp's biggest market, with some 850 million users. This already comes with problems, as around 10 million accounts are banned every month due to policy violations and suspected scams.

Following Meta's June 29 reminder to reserve your username, MeitY issued a July 1 letter that demanded to know why the social media giant shouldn't face regulatory action amid fears of increased cyberattacks.

The Indian government maintains that the update "may materially increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks."

As reported by The Register, MeitY cited the country's Information Technology Act 2000 and Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021, sharing worries about the potential to impersonate public authorities, financial institutions, and government departments.

Meta responds to India's WhatsApp concerns

The Internet Freedom Foundation shared a copy of the letter that was sent to WhatsApp's chief compliance officer in India, adding that it believes there's no legal basis for being able to stop the rollout: "The notice treats the launch of a lawful feature as a wrong the company must justify. That reverses the ordinary position especially given the absence of any clear legal power that exists."

The IFF also points to a similar advisory where MeitY tried to stop AI companies from releasing their models before being approved by the Indian government in March 2024.

Speaking to The Register, a WhatsApp spokesperson has defended the company's decision while saying it's introduced 'numerous' measures designed to keep users safe: "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.

"When it becomes available and someone sends you a message for the first time via your username, we will show you if they're a new account, if they're your contact, if you have groups in common, and if they're based in a different country, so you can decide whether to respond."

Seemingly spotting potential problems ahead of time, WhatsApp has supposedly reserved high-profile names for legitimate individuals and organizations, while you also won't be able to register any that are too similar.

The WhatsApp spokesperson concluded: "Users still require a phone number to use WhatsApp and we've built multiple layers of defense against scams into usernames. Other users need to know the exact username to message you, we will limit how many new people an account can contact, block repeated attempts to guess someone's username key, and have systems to detect and remove activity showing common impersonation and abuse patterns."