- The government is concerned about preventing fraud on the username feature.
- The government has banned the username feature of WhatsApp.
- Meta said that this feature is not being rolled out yet.
- The username feature of Telegram and Signal will also be investigated.
WhatsApp Username Feature: After banning the username feature of WhatsApp, now the government can take action on Telegram and Signal also. Username feature is already available on both these platforms. Now the IT Ministry can send a notice to them and seek answers regarding this feature. The government wants to know how the real identity of the user is ensured in this feature. Also, no person can mislead or cheat people by creating an account under a fake name or someone else’s identity. Let us tell you that a few days ago, the government had imposed a temporary ban on Telegram after its name surfaced in the NEET paper leak incident.
Answers will be sought to these questions
- What is the process of creating a username?
- What security measures are in place to prevent fake or similar usernames?
- How is impersonation of a government institution, celebrity or common person prevented?
- What is the procedure to remove or block fake username after receiving complaint?
- How to cooperate with law enforcement agencies when needed?
WhatsApp’s username feature has been banned
WhatsApp was bringing the username feature for user privacy, but it has been banned even before its rollout. The government has sent a notice to Meta asking it not to roll out this feature and sought a reply within three days. The government has taken strict action against it due to fear of cases of fraud and fraud by hiding the identity. In response to this, WhatsApp said that this feature is not being rolled out yet and it has taken many security measures. WhatsApp had just started reserving usernames for this feature.
Why is the government worried about the username feature?
In the notice sent to WhatsApp, the government has said that due to this feature, cases of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest and fraud by hiding identity may increase. At the same time, the government is also worried that by misusing this feature, people can reserve names similar to any person, government institution, financial institution and government agencies. This will make it difficult for users to identify between real and fake. A government official said that cyber criminals are already carrying out scams like digital arrest through WhatsApp. This feature can help them further.
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