WhatsApp responds to India’s decision to temporarily halt the launch of its username feature, as reported by TechCrunch.

WhatsApp has responded to the Indian government's request to temporarily halt the planned launch of its username feature, confirming that the feature is not yet active and will be rolled out gradually later this year.

Earlier this week, WhatsApp announced its new username feature, which allows users to communicate with others without sharing their phone numbers. The company has already started allowing users to reserve usernames before the official launch.

The feature raised concerns about security, privacy, and identity theft, prompting the Indian government to request a delay in its launch based on the Information Technology Act of 2000, the 2021 regulations, and other relevant laws.

In response, WhatsApp clarified that phone numbers will remain linked to the app, with usernames not serving as an alternative. The company assured that it has developed multiple layers of protection to minimize fraud and identity theft.

The company added that it has reserved usernames for public figures, government entities, celebrities, and verified accounts on Meta, ensuring they can only be used by their legitimate owners. Similar names have also been reserved to prevent misuse.

WhatsApp also indicated that it will impose restrictions on the number of new people an account can communicate with, and prevent repeated attempts to guess usernames, along with using systems to monitor suspicious activities and remove accounts attempting impersonation.

Upon receiving the first message from a person using a username, the app will display additional information such as whether the account is new, in contacts, or if you have common groups, or if it's from another country, to help the user decide whether to respond or ignore the message.

Username reservation remains optional and can be accessed via Settings > Account > Username, with the app needing to be updated to the latest version if the option is not visible yet.

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