A delegation from Meta has met with officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to address the central government’s strong objections to an upcoming WhatsApp username feature, sources revealed. The meeting follows a formal notice issued by the Centre to the American tech conglomerate.
The Core Conflict
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The Feature: WhatsApp’s proposed update allows users to text each other using unique usernames, eliminating the need to share personal phone numbers.
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Government Concerns: Indian authorities fear the feature will grant dangerous anonymity to cybercriminals. They argue it could spark a surge in identity spoofing, phishing, impersonation scams, and make tracking down digital bad actors significantly harder.
Government Directive and Meta’s Response
MeitY has explicitly instructed Meta to halt the rollout of the username feature in India until comprehensive consultations wrap up. Additionally, the ministry demanded a formal explanation from the tech giant within a strict three-day window.
Meta’s Position: Sources state that Meta has committed to submitting its formal response within the government’s timeline. The company clarified that the feature is not yet live and emphasized that registration will still require a verified phone number. Meta is reportedly building multiple digital safeguards to mitigate the risk of scams and impersonation.
The Indian government plans to thoroughly vet Meta’s technical explanations and safety frameworks before deciding whether to clear the feature for the Indian market.
Instagram Ads Under Scrutiny
Separately, MeitY has summoned Meta officials regarding a critical safety issue on another of its platforms. The ministry is demanding answers on how Instagram’s ad system permitted promotional content linked to child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and what immediate compliance measures the company is implementing to permanently block such advertisements.
