WhatsApp India on Wednesday defended the upcoming 'usernames' feature, stating that multiple safeguards will be adopted to prevent the tool from being misused by scamsters.
The names of public personalities, and those of government bodies, will be kept already "reserved" to prevent their misuse, the company spokesperson told NDTV Profit.
The clarification came shortly after the Centre issued a notice to WhatsApp, seeking an explanation within three days on how the new update will not be misused by miscreants for facilitating phishing, online scam and digital arrests.
The WhatsApp spokesperson clarified that a valid phone number will still remain mandatory for users to access and operate the application.
The company noted it has reserved several high-profile names, including those linked to public figures, government entities and celebrities, so they can only be claimed by verified and legitimate owners.
ALSO READ: Govt Writes To WhatsApp: New 'Username' Feature May Spike Phishing, Digital Arrest Scams
In addition, WhatsApp has also blocked lookalike versions and derivatives of well-known names to reduce the risk of fraudsters creating misleading accounts that could be used for scams, the spokesperson added.
The company said it has built multiple layers of protection into the username rollout process to address potential abuse and enhance user safety. These measures are designed to prevent bad actors from exploiting usernames to impersonate individuals, brands or organisations.
The introduction of usernames is expected to bring a new layer of privacy and convenience to WhatsApp users, allowing greater control over how people connect on the platform.
The feature will be made available in phases as WhatsApp continues to test and strengthen its safety measures before a wider rollout.
ALSO READ: Govt To Examine WhatsApp's Usernames Feature Over Impersonation Concerns
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