Centre issues notice to Meta over rollout of new username feature in India, flags cybercrime concerns
PTC News Desk: The government on Wednesday issued a notice to Meta demanding an explanation to why an action should not be initiated against it under the Information Technology Act and related rules over WhatsApp's proposed username feature, which authorities believe could increase cybercrime, sources said on Wednesday.
The government has issued a notice to messaging platform's parent company over the rollout of username feature in India, where the messaging giant has over 5000 million users.
The Meta-owned platform has been directed not to rollout the feature until due consultation with the experts is completed. The notice stems from the concerns involving that WhatsApp's new username feature could facilitate impersonation, fraud and online scams.
Earlier on Wednesday, sources said the government would send a notice to the platform seeking information about the feature, including how it works, what safety measures are in place, and the company's plans for rolling it out. Law enforcement agencies may also review the matter.
Sources added that authorities would study the legal rules related to the feature and assess whether existing laws allow its rollout to be restricted if it is considered a threat to public safety or national security.
The latest update marks a significant shift from the current one which enables anyone with your number to contact you. Till now WhatsApp has been dependent entirely on the phone numbers as the main way to connect.
The company announced the feature in an official blog post on Monday, saying the rollout will happen gradually over the coming months, according to a WhatsApp. The upcoming feature is "designed to protect the privacy of your phone number," the company said in a statement.
The development also marks one of the WhatsApp's biggest privacy-focused modifications, providing the user to engage using a username instead of sharing mobile numbers.
- With inputs from agencies
