Username row: After WhatsApp, IT Ministry sends notice to Telegram, Signal

After sending a notice to WhatsApp, the IT Ministry has now sent a notice to Telegram and Signal, raising questions on their existing username feature and asking how the platforms are addressing concerns related to fraud and impersonation, according to a source.

Sources said that in the notice to Telegram, the government has asked the platform why it should be allowed to retain the username feature.

On Wednesday, the Centre issued a notice to Meta over the username feature on WhatsApp, citing concerns that it could materially increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams, and impersonation attacks.