Consumer Tech WhatsApp Launched A Username Feature To Hide Your Phone Number. India Halted It. By Anisha Sircar ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Anisha Sircar is a journalist covering tech, finance and society. Follow Author Jul 02, 2026, 02:40am EDT --:-- / --:-- This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . Summary India's government has ordered WhatsApp to halt its new username feature, announced to allow users to message without sharing phone numbers. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a legal notice, citing concerns that the privacy-enhancing feature could significantly increase online fraud, "digital arrest" scams, and impersonation by enabling bad actors to operate more anonymously. WhatsApp, currently in a username reservation phase, defended the feature, stating it built in safeguards against impersonation by reserving high-profile names and implementing anti-abuse measures. However, the feature's launch in India, WhatsApp's largest market, is now contingent on government approval, following a precedent set by India's previous block of Telegram over similar anonymity concerns. This standoff highlights growing government scrutiny over messaging app privacy features.
CHONGQING, CHINA - NOVEMBER 6: A person holds a smartphone displaying the WhatsApp app page, with the WhatsApp logo in the background, on November 6, 2024 in Chongqing, China. WhatsApp, owned by Meta, remains one of the most popular messaging platforms globally, continuously enhancing its features to ensure secure and private communication. (Photo by Cheng Xin/Getty Images) Getty Images Shortly after WhatsApp announced one of its most significant privacy features in years, India’s government asked the company to hold its horses.
On June 29, Meta’s WhatsApp blog announced that its three billion-plus users would soon be able to create a unique username and use it to message people without ever revealing their phone number.
“When someone new walks into your life, sharing a phone number can feel like a big step,” the post read. “Sometimes you just want to chat without handing over your digits.”
A few days later, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology sent Meta a formal legal notice, ordered the feature to be suspended for Indian users and demanded a detailed explanation within three days, according to The Indian Express .
WhatsApp’s username feature is positioned as a privacy upgrade. Instead of sharing a phone number to receive messages, users can choose a handle — something unique like @yourname — that others can use to contact them for the first time. After that initial message, it works like any other WhatsApp chat.
There is no public directory and no way to search for usernames.
“People will need to know your exact username to contact you for the first time,” WhatsApp said in its blog post . The feature is optional — users who don’t set a username will continue using WhatsApp exactly as before.
WhatsApp is currently in a username reservation phase, letting users claim their preferred handle ahead of the full launch later in 2026. The feature is not yet live anywhere. Users can reserve a username via Settings > Account > Username on the latest version of the app. Messaging apps Telegram and Signal already offer similar functionality.
In its formal notice to WhatsApp’s Chief Complian…