Guwahati: The Centre is weighing legal action, including possible sanctions, against WhatsApp and Telegram as it reviews their responses to government notices over the proposed introduction of username-based accounts, sources said.
According to sources, the government is examining the replies submitted by the two messaging platforms to determine whether any legal provisions can be invoked. A formal decision is expected after the review process is completed.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had earlier issued a notice to Meta, seeking a detailed explanation of WhatsApp’s planned username feature. The ministry also asked the company to defer its rollout in India until consultations with the government are concluded, citing concerns over privacy, user safety and the potential for misuse.
As concerns over the feature grew, MeitY sent a similar notice to Telegram, seeking clarification on its plans regarding username-based identification.
Earlier this month, Meta representatives met officials of the ministry to discuss the proposed feature. During the meeting, government officials expressed apprehensions that replacing phone number-based identification with usernames could create new avenues for online impersonation and cyber fraud.
The proposal has also attracted criticism from cybersecurity experts and internet users, who argue that malicious actors could exploit usernames by creating deceptive identities resembling those of individuals, businesses or government authorities.
Meta, however, has maintained that the feature is designed to enhance privacy by allowing users to communicate without revealing their phone numbers. The company said usernames will be optional, unique and prefixed with the “@” symbol, while display names will continue to remain separate and need not be unique.
The company also said that users who do not have a contact’s phone number saved will see the person’s username in direct messages, calls and group conversations. In addition, Meta said a range of usernames will be reserved for businesses, public figures and government entities to prevent impersonation.