India has asked WhatsApp To validate the introduction of a new feature related to user names and to halt the rollout in its largest market, intensifying an enforcement action against message privacy that started with Telegram, as stated in a government document.
Earlier this week, Meta WhatsApp stated that it has initiated a gradual worldwide launch of the feature, which allows users to secure a distinctive username and ultimately communicate with others without revealing their phone numbers.
The action marks an intensification of India's oversight over international technology companies, occurring just weeks after it briefly restricted Telegram and amid prolonged conflicts with... Elon Musk X's content removal requests.
Are you curious about the major issues and developments happening globally? Find your answers here with SCMP Knowledge Our latest platform featuring carefully selected content including explanations, frequently asked questions, analysis, and visual graphics, presented by our acclaimed team.
The Telegram The block was influenced partially by the same privacy issues that the government has recently highlighted regarding WhatsApp.
A letter from Wednesday instructed WhatsApp to provide a response within three days and prohibited the launch until its discussions with the authorities were completed.
India remains WhatsApp's largest user base, boasting over 500 million active users, as the ongoing conflict compels the platform to balance adherence to regulations with growing worries regarding increased governmental influence over social media.
The attention follows closely on the heels of Meta appointing Kunal Shah, founder of CRED, as WhatsApp's global leader—a notable choice from an emerging economy that highlighted India's growing influence in the app's payment systems and corporate messaging strategies.
WhatsApp mentioned that the username functionality was not available yet and will be introduced gradually later this year. It also noted that users will still have to provide a phone number for registration, and senders will need to know an individual's precise username to send them messages.
The firm stated that it has incorporated "several levels of protection against fraudulent activities" within the feature, such as restrictions on the number of new individuals an account can interact with and prohibitions on multiple tries to deduce a user's username.
A government document sent to WhatsApp’s head of compliance in India stated that this functionality might significantly boost cybercrime, including scams and identity theft, as malicious individuals would be able to reach targets without revealing their mobile numbers.
The administration has presented comparable claims regarding Telegram. A June report issued by the interior department highlighted the application's involvement in online scams and cautioned that features masking phone numbers complicated user identification.
Last month, Telegram failed in a legal battle regarding the temporary suspension.
A message sent to WhatsApp referenced India's Information Technology Act, which states that platforms forfeit their protection from responsibility for user-generated content if they do not comply with the government's required standards of care.
Digital rights organizations claimed the WhatsApp order lacked a solid legal basis. The Internet Freedom Foundation stated that there is no clause enabling the government to approve or restrict a feature prior to its launch, describing it as an effort by the authorities to determine "what a company can develop and distribute."
More Articles from SCMP
The article was first published on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), a top-tier news outlet covering developments in China and Asia.
© 2026. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.