India IT ministry reviews WhatsApp, Telegram replies on username feature

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has received formal responses from Meta‑owned WhatsApp and messaging platform Telegram to its notice on the proposed “username” feature. The feature would let users chat without sharing phone numbers, prompting the government to warn that it could fuel online fraud, phishing, digital‑arrest scams and impersonation.

WhatsApp submitted its reply after being granted an extension; the ministry is now examining the submission. Telegram’s response was received shortly thereafter. Both companies have said the feature is still under development and that safeguards – such as reserving high‑profile usernames, limiting contact attempts and displaying contextual information about first‑time senders – will be built in.

The centre has also issued similar notices to Signal and is considering a uniform regulatory framework that would apply to all messaging apps operating in India, rather than platform‑specific rulings. No public comment from the firms has been made, and the feature remains on hold pending the government’s assessment.