Tourists are seen at the forecourt of the iconic Gateway of India as a digital display of messaging app WhatsApp is displayed, in Mumbai on August 25, 2023.
"Users still require a phone number to use WhatsApp, and we've built multiple layers of defense against scams into usernames," a Meta spokesperson told CNBC in an email.
It added that the username feature is not live and will be rolled out "slowly later this year."
On Monday, WhatsApp introduced usernames, claiming it to be a "major privacy feature" designed to help people stay connected without giving away phone numbers.
The company has been directed to pause the rollout of the feature until the government's concerns are addressed.
Tourists are seen at the forecourt of the iconic Gateway of India as a digital display of messaging app WhatsApp is displayed, in Mumbai on August 25, 2023.
U.S. social media giant Meta Platforms has defended the rollout of usernames on its messaging platform, after the Indian government on Wednesday said the move could lead to a rise in cybercrime.
"Users still require a phone number to use WhatsApp, and we've built multiple layers of defense against scams into usernames," a Meta spokesperson told CNBC in an email.
The tech company said it will limit the number of new people an account can contact, block repeated attempts to guess usernames, and enable systems to detect and remove activity demonstrating common patterns associated with impersonation or abuse.
It added that the username feature is not live and will be rolled out "slowly later this year." On Monday, WhatsApp introduced usernames, claiming it to be a "major privacy feature" designed to help people stay connected without giving away phone numbers.
According to a report by Indian news agency ANI, the Indian government said that the username feature "may materially increase the incidence of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks, by enabling bad actors to solicit and message victims."
It has given WhatsApp three days to furnish a detailed explanation on the feature or face action under the country's information technology regulations. The company has been directed to pause the rollout of the feature until the government's concerns are addressed.
