The Centre is developing common standards for peer-to-peer messaging platforms to ensure uniformity in username-based identities, according to a senior government official speaking on Monday. As reported by Business Standard, the government is examining responses from WhatsApp, Signal and Telegram to develop this comprehensive framework. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is exploring a common regulatory framework that would apply across messaging services, instead of taking platform-specific decisions. An official familiar with the matter stated that "It cannot be that the govt stops one platform from rolling out a feature while allowing others to continue offering the same thing. The rules have to be uniform for everyone." The government would consult all major messaging platforms before taking a final decision on the new framework.
WhatsApp has submitted a detailed response to the government's notice over its proposed "username" feature, and the submission is currently being examined by officials, according to NDTV Profit sources. The Centre had issued the notice to Meta-owned WhatsApp last week, raising concerns that the feature - which would let users message each other without sharing phone numbers - could significantly increase risks of online fraud, phishing, digital-arrest scams and impersonation. The government had directed the company not to roll out the feature until consultations were completed to its satisfaction. Speaking on the sidelines of the CII GCC Business Summit, IT Secretary S Krishnan confirmed that "Today is the day when the reply is due" when asked about WhatsApp's response. After receiving the notice, WhatsApp sought additional time to submit its response and assured the government that it would not launch the feature in India until discussions with authorities were concluded.
The username feature essentially allows people on the messaging platform to communicate without sharing their phone numbers. According to PTI, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) asked Meta to explain its proposed feature, saying it could materially increase risks of online fraud, phishing, impersonation and so-called "digital arrest" scams. It also reminded Meta that WhatsApp, as a significant social media intermediary, is bound by due diligence obligations under the IT Act and rules. A team from Meta met officials in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) last week following the government's notice, with the government specifically asking the company to explain why action should not be initiated under the Information Technology Act and the relevant rules.
A WhatsApp spokesperson said that the ability to use a username is not yet live and will roll out gradually later this year. As reported by PTI, to protect against impersonation, the company has held the highest-profile names - public figures, government entities, celebrities, verified Meta accounts - so they can only ever be claimed by their legitimate owners. Users still require a phone number to use WhatsApp, and the company has built multiple layers of defence against scams into usernames. The company stressed that "Other users need to know the exact username to message you" and has implemented several safeguards. "We will limit how many new people an account can contact, block repeated attempts to guess someone's username key, and have systems to detect and remove activity showing common impersonation and abuse patterns," the spokesperson added. Users will receive additional information before responding to messages sent via usernames, including whether they're new accounts, contacts, or based in different countries. The company also introduced an optional "username key" feature that requires anyone trying to contact through a username to know both the username and the unique key, with users able to reset their key at any time to stop new inbound contact through their username.
According to NDTV Profit, government sources said replies from WhatsApp and Telegram have now been received and are being examined, though the contents of the responses have not been made public and neither company has officially commented on the matter. The IT Ministry had also sent notices to Telegram and Signal raising questions on their existing username feature, with Telegram's reach being a fraction of WhatsApp's 500 million users in India. With the response deadline ending on Thursday, the Centre will decide the next course of action vis-à-vis Meta after the company replies to government notices on both the username feature and child pornography concerns on Instagram. Sources indicate that two other messaging platforms served similar notices, Telegram and Signal, had not yet responded, saying authorities would examine the matter once replies came in. The issue has drawn attention because of WhatsApp's dominant presence in India, where it has around 500 million users, far more than rivals such as Telegram and Signal.
