Govt flags fraud and impersonation risks in WhatsApp username feature, MeitY to call Meta for talks

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is set to hold consultations with Meta-owned WhatsApp over its upcoming username feature, amid concerns flagged by law enforcement agencies over impersonation risks and potential misuse for fraud, people familiar with the matter said.

Officials from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Delhi Police have raised concerns over anonymity and delayed response timelines in data requests made to the platform by law enforcement agencies (LEAs).