Crime & Law · India
India asks WhatsApp to pause username feature over fraud concerns
The Indian government has issued a notice to Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, requesting a pause on the rollout of its new username feature. The government cited concerns over potential identity theft and fraud. WhatsApp has reportedly stated that it will not assign popular names to others and will block attempts at misuse. The government has asked for a detailed response within three days and for safeguards to be explained before consultations conclude.
How outlets across the spectrum covered it
Left 4 · Centre 10 · Right 4 n = 18
- Left (4): Satya Hindi, Scroll.in, The Hindu, The Telegraph (India)
- Centre (10 votes, 11 outlets): Amar Ujala, Business Standard, Deccan Chronicle, Deccan Herald, Hindustan Times, Navbharat Times · The Times of India (Times Group — 1 vote), Telangana Today, The Free Press Journal, The Indian Express, The Tribune
- Right (4): Aaj Tak, News18 Hindi, Punjab Kesari, Zee News (Hindi)
- International (2): Bloomberg, Reuters