Meta has announced a new feature to improve privacy for WhatsApp users. In a blog post, it said this platform will allow the use of usernames to connect with “new people” without revealing phone numbers.
This could benefit those reluctant to give their number out but need the app for communication. It’s also helpful for chat groups, many of which have strangers as members who can access one’s contact data for misuse. This safety flaw needed a fix.
The solution will only be rolled out later this year, though. Starting this week, users can reserve usernames, with businesses, creators and organizations invited to use existing tags from Meta’s other apps, Facebook and Instagram.
Some years ago, WhatsApp was marketed in India as a privacy assurer, given its end-to-end chat encryption. Today, it seems in a position to do away with phone-number linking altogether, with an email ID acting as an identifier. With privacy a big draw for users who wish not to be spammed or stalked online, it could be a hit.
How authorities may react is another matter, especially in India, where numbers are linked with biometric data. But then, various messaging tools exist that aren’t.