By Admin 
WhatsApp has announced the username feature. The company is calling it a big change that will increase the privacy of users, but the Indian government is not considering it as just a new feature. The government fears that if it is misused, cases of online fraud may increase. This is the reason why the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is preparing to investigate this feature. According to sources, if needed, answers can also be sought from the company.
What is the government afraid of?
The cases of digital fraud are already increasing rapidly in India. People are being cheated of money sometimes by posing as bank officers, sometimes by posing as police or government agencies and sometimes by luring investment. In such a situation, if it becomes easier to reach people only through username instead of mobile number, then fraudsters can also try to take advantage of it.
This is how fraud can happen
Suppose a fraudster creates a username similar to the name of a bank, government department or any famous person. By changing just one letter or adding an underscore, a name can be created that looks original at first glance. If the other person does not pay attention, he can easily become a victim of deception.
However, the company says that there will be no public list of usernames. To talk to someone, it will be necessary to know their correct username. Meta is also saying that some usernames of big brands, government organizations and verified accounts will already be kept safe. Besides, a separate system is also being prepared to detect fake accounts.
Still why is the government cautious?
Making security claims on paper is a different thing but the real challenge will come when this feature reaches crores of people. India is the biggest market of WhatsApp. Every day crores of people use this app for banking, business and personal conversations. In such a situation, even a small mistake can lead to big cyber fraud.
What will happen next now?
The government wants to understand how strong preparations have been made by WhatsApp to stop fraud. If the security arrangements are not found to be adequate, the company may be asked to respond or may be asked to implement additional security measures.
the biggest question
WhatsApp says that this feature will increase the privacy of users. But the government’s concern is that this facility might become a new weapon for cyber thugs. Now everyone’s eyes will be on how strong Meta is able to prove its security claims on the ground.
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