A team from Meta met officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Friday after receiving a government notice over the proposed username feature on WhatsApp, sources said.
According to reports, MeitY officials conveyed the government’s concerns about the rollout, warning that usernames could increase online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks.
Meta has been given three days to submit a detailed explanation and is expected to respond within the stipulated timeline.
The Centre issued the notice on Wednesday, directing Meta to pause the rollout of the username feature in India until consultations are completed to the government’s satisfaction.
It also asked the company to explain why regulatory action should not be initiated under the Information Technology Act and related rules if the feature is found to increase cybercrime risks.
The government further reminded Meta that WhatsApp, as a significant social media intermediary, is required to comply with due diligence obligations under the IT Act and its associated rules.
The meeting comes amid heightened scrutiny of messaging platforms over digital identity features, with the government seeking assurances that new functionalities do not compromise user safety or make cybercrime investigations more difficult.
