The government will examine WhatsApp’s newly announced username feature amid concerns it may increase impersonation risks. The feature, allowing users to hide phone numbers and use usernames instead, is being rolled out gradually. It is designed as a privacy upgrade but raises regulatory and safety questions in India

The government is preparing to review WhatsApp’s newly introduced username feature following concerns that it could increase the risk of impersonation, according to PTI sources.

The development comes shortly after the Meta-owned messaging platform announced the feature, which allows users to hide their phone numbers and instead communicate using usernames.

WhatsApp announced on June 29 that users globally will soon be able to reserve usernames. The company described the move as a major shift in how communication works on the platform, which has more than three billion users worldwide.

The government's scrutiny of the recently-announced feature comes days after restrictions were imposed on Telegram ahead of the NEET re-examination last month. The messaging app was banned from June 16 to June 22 amid concerns that groups on the platform could be used to leak medical entrance examination papers.