AA Edit | WhatsApp Must Do Privacy Review
On the flip side, however, the username feature could also empower fraudsters. Usernames can make it easier for scammers to create fake identities, imitate public figures, pose as businesses or lure people into fraudulent investment and job schemes. In India, where WhatsApp has become a default messaging platform for 85 crore people, the impersonation risk is serious
With the introduction of usernames, WhatsApp has decided to change how 300 crore people communicate, responding to privacy concerns about the existing phone-number-based messaging system.
If a person joins a group, his or her number will be visible to everyone present in it. This can expose users to unwanted calls, spam, harassment and data misuse. However, the username feature can successfully address this issue and enhance user privacy.
On the flip side, however, the username feature could also empower fraudsters. Usernames can make it easier for scammers to create fake identities, imitate public figures, pose as businesses or lure people into fraudulent investment and job schemes. In India, where WhatsApp has become a default messaging platform for 85 crore people, the impersonation risk is serious.
Platforms that allow a username-based messaging system have often struggled with impersonation. Fraudsters can use slight variations of people’s names, brands or official handles to mislead unsuspecting users.
For example, if scamsters want to impersonate ‘Bharat’, they could use Bhaarat or Bharath, without raising any objection, as Bhaarat is a phonetically correct spelling and most people in southern India use ‘th’ for the 16th consonant in the traditional Hindi alphabet. As most people don’t pay great attention to spelling or account details before trusting a message, a small loophole can affect millions.
WhatsApp must, therefore, introduce the username feature with strong safeguards. It should have a robust verification system for public figures, businesses, government agencies and well-known organisations. It must prevent lookalike usernames, detect suspicious account behaviour and make reporting impersonation fast and effective.
The government should also ensure that privacy features do not create a safe zone for organised scammers. WhatsApp must allow law enforcement agencies to check the underlying phone numbers for traceability and introduce all necessary safeguards to prevent its abuse.