This week has been dominated by one topic in the messaging world: usernames. Days after newly appointed WhatsApp CEO Kunal Shah announced that the Meta-owned platform would introduce usernames, the Government of India asked the company to pause the rollout until concerns around privacy, security and cybercrime are examined. While Meta has not shelved the feature, Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu has already announced that Arattai will remove its username-based accounts to comply with the regulatory environment.
Posting on X, Vembu said, "We will be disabling the username-based account feature in Arattai, to comply with the regulatory change." Arattai, launched in 2021, allows users to connect without sharing their phone numbers and gained popularity last year as an Indian alternative to WhatsApp.
Importantly, the government has not banned usernames. Instead, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought explanations from Meta, Telegram and Signal over the potential misuse of usernames for fraud and impersonation.
Messaging apps such as Telegram and Signal already let users connect through usernames rather than phone numbers. WhatsApp's proposed feature works on similar lines, but critics fear scammers could create usernames resembling government agencies, brands or celebrities to deceive users.
Meta says it has built safeguards, including reserving usernames linked to public figures and organisations, an optional four-digit username PIN for added privacy, and no public username directory to limit spam. Some cybersecurity experts also argue that usernames could help reduce certain types of cybercrime by allowing users to communicate without exposing their phone numbers.
Despite these safeguards, Indian authorities remain cautious. Earlier this week, Meta's Chief Compliance Officer was given three days to explain the feature and why regulatory action should not be taken if it increases cybercrime risks. Signal and Telegram have reportedly received similar notices from the government.
