The Government of India has sent a formal letter to WhatsApp, the messaging platform owned by Meta Platforms Inc., asking the company to delay the launch of its new “usernames” feature until further consultations can be held. The request, which was reported by Reuters through a Google News feed, came after the platform announced plans to allow users to create unique identifiers that could replace phone numbers in contact lists and in public messages.
The letter was addressed to WhatsApp’s chief operating officer and outlines concerns that the rollout could raise privacy and regulatory issues in India, a country that has recently tightened rules on data protection and digital communications. The government is reportedly seeking to understand how the new feature would comply with the Information Technology (IT) Act and the Personal Data Protection Bill that is pending approval.
WhatsApp has not yet responded to the request. The company stated in a separate statement that it is “working closely with regulators worldwide” to ensure that its new features meet local legal requirements.
Analysis: The pause request reflects India’s broader effort to assert control over digital services operating within its borders. Similar regulatory pressures have been seen in the past, such as the 2023 ban on the use of the platform’s encrypted messaging by Indian law enforcement without court orders. The government’s insistence on consultations signals a cautious approach to new functionalities that could affect user data handling and public communication. Whether the delay will be temporary or lead to broader restrictions remains to be seen.
Sources
– Reuters, “India asks WhatsApp to hold ‘usernames’ rollout pending consultations, letter shows” (Google News India) https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwwFBVV95cUxQSkdEcHFGZnV4YzNiXzFkdmVzTWJ6WG1TaFg5dnVKZG0tZlEzU0xZQW9QM3J3dGpJWHhKbk5xVklBanU3bFRWVC1mTWlzQ3FnMkJYc1F5VnNhVEFqUVRhb3FCeklPdWRqcm5Lc0U4SjBTSk9mU05tRFdXRm9oOXNicElKM1hmZl9FTUVCY2VOTFpaMlo0WUZkNlE4cTNLdlJWTDY2aHpnTGlmRjFjVWEtM0JLN1k3VjZWaUVGVTlaVkxpdDA?oc=5
Story synopsis gathered from: Google News India — source
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