Messaging platform Telegram has submitted its reply to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) notice regarding its ‘username’ feature, following a similar response from WhatsApp. The government is currently reviewing the submissions from both messaging platforms. The ‘username’ feature enables users to communicate without disclosing their mobile phone numbers, a function that has raised concerns within the government about potential online fraud and phishing risks.
WhatsApp had previously responded to the government’s notice concerning its proposed username feature, with MeitY currently assessing the company’s submissions. The ministry had raised apprehensions that the feature could lead to an increase in online fraud, phishing, digital-arrest scams, and impersonation attacks. The government instructed WhatsApp not to introduce the username feature in India until consultations on the matter were satisfactorily concluded.
The proposed feature on WhatsApp would allow users to chat without sharing their phone numbers, enhancing privacy protection. IT Secretary S. Krishnan had anticipated WhatsApp’s response by Thursday and mentioned that similar notices were sent to Telegram and Signal regarding their username features. The government is seeking information on the security measures implemented by these platforms to mitigate fraud and impersonation risks.
“We will await the formal response to the notice that we have issued, and thereafter we will take a view based on what the response is,” Krishnan stated. Separately, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw instructed ministry officials to inquire about Meta’s alleged display of child sexual abuse material in Instagram advertisements.
