WhatsApp denies claims of popular usernames being reserved, says only legitimate owners can claim public figure names

WhatsApp has dismissed claims that users are reserving popular or well-known usernames, clarifying that only legitimate owners of public figure names can claim them. The clarification comes as the Meta-owned messaging platform faces government scrutiny over its upcoming username feature amid concerns over impersonation, phishing and online fraud.

The company issued the clarification through a set of FAQs on its proposed username feature, which has sparked debate over potential misuse by fraudsters.