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WhatsApp, Telegram submit responses to MeitY’s on username feature notices
MeitY had issued notices to WhatsApp on July 1, and to Telegram and Signal on July 3over concerns that username-based messaging could increase the risks of impersonation, identity theft, phishing and digital fraud. The platforms were asked to explain the safeguards built into their username features.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) on Thursdayreceived a response from WhatsApp regarding the platform’s upcoming username feature, an official said without divulging details of the response.
The deadline for submitting the response had ended on Thursday. The ministry had granted WhatsApp a four-day extension after the company sought additional time following a meeting with officials on July 2. Telegram also submitted its response to MeitY’s notice on Thursday, people aware of the matter said. Signal did not respond to HT’s email.
MeitY had issued notices to WhatsApp on July 1, and to Telegram and Signal on July 3over concerns that username-based messaging could increase the risks of impersonation, identity theft, phishing and digital fraud. The platforms were asked to explain the safeguards built into their username features.
Responding to HT’s queries, a Meta spokesperson outlined additional safeguards that it said have been built into the feature to address impersonation and fraud concerns. “We’ll ban accounts or revoke usernames when we find evidence of identity impersonation or scam,” they said.
The company said existing Facebook and Instagram usernames will be reserved for their owners during the reservation period, while usernames of public figures, government entities, celebrities and verified Meta accounts, along with certain lookalike variations, will only be available to their legitimate owners.
The company added it has deployed automated systems to detect impersonation and abuse patterns, and will limit how many new people an account can contact through usernames, a protection feature not mentioned in its June 29 blog announcing the feature. The Mark Zuckerberg-owned company also said it will block repeated attempts to guess a user’s optional username key, restrict how frequently usernames can be changed, and ban accounts or revoke usernames where it finds evidence of impersonation or scams.
Meta added that when users receive a first message from someone outside their contacts, whether through a phone number or a username, WhatsApp will display details such as whether the account is new, whether they have groups in common, and whether the sender is based in a different country. Users can then choose to add the contact, mark it as trusted, block or report it. The company also urged users to report accounts they believe are impersonating someone else.
Separately, MeitY has also sent a notice to parent company Meta to disable all Instagram advertisements and content that allegedly promote or facilitate child sexual exploitation and abuse material (CSEAM) following a BBC investigation that found that the social media platform was allegedly promoting such ads. MeitY has also sought a response from Meta by July 11 on how such ads were allowed to appear on the platform .
