New Delhi, July 1 (IANS). The central government has become alert about the possible misuse of the upcoming username feature of Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp. The government is expressing serious concerns regarding this feature and in view of this, a notice can be sent to WhatsApp soon.
According to government sources, the government fears that like Telegram, this new feature of WhatsApp can also be used to cheat people or spread wrong information by creating fake identities. For this reason, the government has expressed displeasure over this proposed feature and expressed serious concern about it.
Sources say that if any new feature increases the possibility of fraud or cyber crime, then the concerned messaging platform will also have to decide its accountability. The government believes that platforms like WhatsApp should ensure that their products are not used for impersonation or spreading misleading information.
Actually, WhatsApp is soon going to launch such a feature under which users will be able to contact family, friends or businesses only through their username without sharing their mobile number.
According to WhatsApp, users will be able to choose a unique username like the social media platform. Meta has said that the purpose of this feature is to protect the privacy of users’ mobile numbers. According to the company, to contact a person, another user will need to know his or her exact username.
However, cyber security experts say that along with increasing privacy, this feature can also increase risks like duping people by creating fake identities and online fraud. He believes that in a large digital market like India, strong anti-abuse systems and effective security measures will be essential to protect millions of users.
It is worth noting that messaging platforms like Telegram and Signal already allow users to communicate only through username by hiding the mobile number.
At the same time, under the current laws of India, accounts on messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram are required to be linked to a verified mobile number. Under the Telecom Cyber Security Rules, 2024, the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) enforces strict provisions related to SIM-binding to prevent digital fraud.
Meanwhile, entrepreneur Ankur Wariku has also expressed concern about this feature. He wrote on social media that if WhatsApp does not create an effective anti-abuse system, then in a country like India, large-scale fraud can be done by creating fake usernames similar to any famous person or reputed company.
–IANS
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