The Indian government has moved to block WhatsApp’s planned username feature before its official rollout, issuing a formal notice to parent company Meta. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) contends that the tool could facilitate cybercrime and insists that the launch be suspended until mandatory government consultations are completed.
Government cites impersonation risks
According to the ministry, the introduction of usernames creates opportunities for "impersonation and identity spoofing, including impersonation of individuals, public authorities, financial institutions, and government agencies, by permitting the adoption of usernames closely resembling those of genuine persons or institutions." The notice further signals that MeitY may pursue regulatory action against Meta for deploying a feature it believes could enable online crime, and has given the company three days to respond.
The strongly worded communication has drawn sharp pushback from digital rights advocates and legal observers, who argue the ministry is overreaching its statutory authority.
Legal standing questioned
The Internet Freedom Foundation sharply criticised the notice, stating that it treats the launch of a lawful feature as an infraction the company must preemptively justify. In a statement published on X, the group noted that MeitY does not cite any legal provision granting it the power to approve a product feature prior to release or order its withdrawal, adding that the clauses it does reference do not supply that authority. The foundation warned that the implications extend beyond a single app, arguing that a power asserted against one company by letter can be turned on any company and any feature, whether it involves a browser’s default privacy setting or a payments app’s new login method.
Feature still in early stages
WhatsApp’s usernames have not yet gone live beyond a reservation phase, and Meta has already incorporated protective measures into the design, including reserving specific usernames for public figures and established brands to limit impersonation. India represents one of WhatsApp’s largest user bases globally, and the outcome of this dispute could set a precedent for how quickly the privacy-oriented upgrade reaches the market. It also raises broader questions about pre-release oversight of digital products, as regulators in multiple jurisdictions watch how feature governance is handled across large platforms.
Source: x.com