This comes amid a wider standoff between the Centre and messaging platforms over features that let users connect without sharing phone numbers. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) gave Meta three days to respond to a July 1 letter and halt the rollout of WhatsApp's new usernames feature pending government approval. The ministry warned the feature could "materially increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks."

WhatsApp's new username feature, allowing users to connect without sharing phone numbers, has raised significant concerns about potential impersonation scams, particularly in…

WhatsApp has announced the introduction of usernames, a feature that will allow users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers. | India News

The Central Government has issued a notice to Meta over the proposed rollout of the WhatsApp usernames feature in India. Meta has been directed to submit a detailed explanation…

WhatsApps big bet on usernames has hit a regulatory speed bump in India. This and more in todays ETtech Morning Dispatch.