The Centre is reviewing WhatsApp's response to its notice over the messaging platform's proposed "username" feature after the Meta-owned company submitted its reply on Thursday night, sources said.
The government had issued the notice last week, expressing concerns that the feature could facilitate online fraud, phishing, impersonation and so-called digital arrest scams. It also directed WhatsApp not to roll out the feature in India until consultations were completed "to the satisfaction of the government."
Sources said the IT Ministry has received WhatsApp's response and is reviewing it. A Meta delegation had met ministry officials last week following the notice. The government had sought an explanation over the proposed username feature, citing concerns about cybercrime and reminding WhatsApp of its due diligence obligations under the IT Act.
WhatsApp has maintained that the feature is not yet live and will be rolled out gradually later this year. The company said it has introduced safeguards against impersonation, including reserved usernames for public figures, limits on unsolicited messaging, and systems to detect abusive activity. It also reiterated that users will still need a phone number to create a WhatsApp account. The IT Ministry has also issued similar notices to Telegram and Signal, seeking details on how their username features address fraud and impersonation risks.
The proposed feature would allow users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers, raising concerns over its potential misuse. After receiving the notice, WhatsApp sought additional time to respond and assured the Centre that it would not introduce the feature in India until discussions with the government were concluded.
Officials are now examining the company's submission. WhatsApp has not publicly commented on the contents of its response.
