Govt tells Meta to pause WhatsApp usernames rollout

The government on Wednesday asked Meta to put on hold the rollout of WhatsApp’s proposed usernames feature in India and sought a detailed explanation from the company within three days, signalling heightened regulatory scrutiny of the privacy-focused feature, sources familiar with the matter said.

The ministry of electronics and information technology (MeitY) has issued a notice to Meta directing it not to roll out the feature until consultations with the government are completed. Officials are examining whether the move raises legal and regulatory issues, particularly around cybercrime investigations, impersonation, online fraud and intermediary obligations, sources said.