{"id":1052,"date":"2026-07-13T13:34:11","date_gmt":"2026-07-13T12:34:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=1052"},"modified":"2026-07-13T13:42:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T12:42:46","slug":"whatsapps-usernames-plan-draws-government-pushback","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/?p=1052","title":{"rendered":"WhatsApp’s Usernames Plan Draws Government Pushback"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Favour Ozabor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WhatsApp is preparing to introduce one of its biggest updates in years, allowing users to
communicate through unique usernames instead of sharing their phone numbers. The feature,
expected to roll out later this year, has already sparked debate among regulators, cybersecurity
experts, and users over its potential impact on privacy and online safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meta announced in late June that users will soon be able to create unique usernames that can
be used to connect with others without revealing their personal phone numbers. Reservations
for usernames opened in early July, ahead of a broader rollout that will take place gradually
across different countries. Once the feature is fully available, users will have the option of
sharing only their username while keeping their phone number private.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Meta, the new feature is designed to strengthen users’ privacy and reduce
exposure to scams that rely on phone numbers, including phishing attacks and SIM-swap fraud.
The company also stated that it will introduce measures to reduce abuse, such as restricting
usernames that closely resemble those of celebrities, public figures, government agencies, and
well-known organisations. In addition, newly created accounts will face limits on the number of
people they can contact within a certain period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite these assurances, the announcement has attracted criticism from regulators and
security experts. During early testing of the feature, some reporters found that usernames
closely resembling those of prominent politicians and institutions were still available, raising
fears that fraudsters could exploit the system. India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology has reportedly urged WhatsApp to delay the rollout until further consultations are
held, warning that the feature could encourage impersonation and online fraud. Somalia has
also expressed similar concerns, citing the potential security implications within the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> DELSU SUG Holds SNERGY 2026 Rally, Promotes Unity and Student Engagement<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cybersecurity analysts remain divided on the proposal. While some argue that usernames
represent a significant step towards protecting users’ personal information, others believe the
update simply shifts the risk from phone number exposure to username impersonation. They
stress that the effectiveness of the feature will largely depend on WhatsApp’s verification
systems, reporting mechanisms, and its ability to quickly remove fraudulent accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A survey conducted among students also reflected mixed opinions about the proposed feature.
While many respondents acknowledged that usernames could improve convenience and reduce
the need to share personal phone numbers, several expressed concerns about privacy, identity
theft, and the possibility of fake accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

READ ALSO:<\/strong> DELSU Targets Healthy Workforce, Initiates Free Medical Screening For Staff<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One respondent described the WhatsApp username feature as a promising innovation but
argued that it may not significantly improve users’ privacy if adequate safeguards are not in
place. The respondent added that the controversy surrounding the feature is understandable because impersonation remains a genuine concern. Although they believe the update could
ultimately benefit users, they recommended that WhatsApp subject the feature to extensive
testing and security reviews before making it available worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With more than three billion users across the globe, WhatsApp’s username initiative represents
a major shift in how people interact on the platform. However, as discussions continue among
governments, experts, and users, the success of the feature will depend not only on its
convenience but also on Meta’s ability to address security concerns and build public trust before
the global rollout is completed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Favour Ozabor WhatsApp is preparing to introduce one of its biggest updates in years, allowing users tocommunicate through unique usernames instead of sharing their phone numbers. The feature,expected to roll out later this year, has already sparked debate among regulators, cybersecurityexperts, and users over its potential impact on privacy and online safety. Meta announced […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1187,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"iawp_total_views":6,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,14],"tags":[122,294],"class_list":["post-1052","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","category-trendingnews","tag-technology","tag-whatsapp"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1052","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1052"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1052\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1188,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1052\/revisions\/1188"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1187"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1052"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1052"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mediaconversation.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1052"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}