Web Desk: WhatsApp has defended its upcoming usernames feature after online criticism over potential privacy and impersonation risks, saying the tool is designed to give users more control over how they interact on the messaging platform.
The Meta-owned messaging service said the feature is optional and is intended to provide an alternative to sharing phone numbers when connecting with other users.
Under the new system, users will be able to create unique usernames, allowing others to contact them without needing access to their mobile numbers.
As part of the rollout, WhatsApp has begun allowing users to reserve usernames ahead of the feature’s wider release.
Responding to concerns on social media platform X, the company described usernames as its latest privacy-focused feature, emphasizing that users who prefer the existing system can continue using their phone numbers.
“We’re mindful that some people want consistency in how they show up across apps,” WhatsApp said.
The company said it will not maintain a public directory of usernames or provide username suggestions, limiting the ability of strangers to browse accounts.
WhatsApp added that users will continue receiving contextual information about unknown contacts, including whether they share mutual groups, whether the sender is already in their contacts or if the account is based in another country. Users will also retain the ability to block, report or ignore unsolicited messages.
Additionally, WhatsApp plans to introduce an optional “username key” feature that restricts who can contact a user through their username. If enabled, only people who possess the unique key will be able to initiate conversations through username searches.
The feature will remain disabled by default, allowing users to choose whether to make their usernames broadly discoverable or limit access to selected individuals.
Despite the additional controls, the announcement has prompted criticism from technology commentators and social media users, who argue that usernames could make impersonation easier.
Critics say many users are likely to select usernames resembling their real names, potentially allowing strangers to locate them more easily than under WhatsApp’s current phone number-based system.
Others warned that scammers could register similar-looking usernames to impersonate public figures or trusted contacts in phishing attempts.
Some observers also questioned whether users would be able to distinguish genuine accounts from fake ones, noting that unlike other social media platforms, WhatsApp users would no longer be able to verify an unfamiliar contact simply by calling the associated phone number.
Unlike WhatsApp, platforms such as Instagram and X rely on usernames as primary identifiers while verifying accounts through email addresses and phone numbers that remain private.
Those platforms also offer additional safeguards, including message request folders for unknown contacts and verification badges that help users identify authentic accounts, although some verification features require paid subscriptions.
While WhatsApp says the usernames feature aims to strengthen privacy by reducing the need to share phone numbers, debate continues over whether the change could also create new opportunities for impersonation and online fraud.
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