Central Govt Issues Notice to Meta over WhatsApp ‘Username’ Feature, Halts Rollout
by Himanshu · KalingaTVAdvertisement
New Delhi: The Central Government has reportedly issued a notice to Meta regarding the roll-out of the “usernames” feature on WhatsApp in India, citing risks of online fraud and impersonation.
The notice states that the 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 further notes that the feature “may facilitate impersonation and identity spoofing, including impersonation of individuals, public authorities, financial institutions, and government agencies, by permitting the adoption of usernames closely resembling those of genuine persons or institutions.”
Meta has been directed to explain why regulatory action ought not to be initiated under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the IT Rules, 2021, and other applicable laws for launching a feature that may increase cybercrimes.
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The company must “furnish a detailed explanation, supported by relevant documents, on this new feature, within three days of its receipt.”
The notice also directs Meta “not to roll out this feature until the consultation on this point is achieved to the satisfaction of the Government.”
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