WhatsApp to allow users to go by usernames instead of phone numbers
Kelvin Chan
WhatsApp users will soon have the option to use usernames instead of phone numbers, the company said, announcing plans to address the privacy blind spot.
The app said it will start allowing users to reserve unique usernames that can be used to contact WhatsApp users when the feature launches later this year.
WhatsApp, which says it has more than 3 billion users worldwide, has until now allowed users to contact anyone who has their phone number.
The application, owned by Meta Platforms, said: in a blog post “In the coming months,” users will have the option to be found and contacted only by their username, not their number. He wasn’t more specific about the timeline.
“We designed this as a core privacy feature,” Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s vice president of product, told reporters.
There will be no directory of usernames in the application, and the application will not suggest names as you type.
“People will need to know your exact username before they can contact you for the first time,” he said.
WhatsApp’s current privacy settings are limited to blocking individual users and silencing unknown callers. The app also allows users to add a profile name, but this will only be displayed in chat groups for others whose contact information is not registered with the user.
While Americans still prefer sending text messages over WhatsApp, the app is widely used in Europe, Asia and the rest of the world.
Catchy online handles are highly coveted, and users will likely scramble to claim one they desire.
“I think a lot of people will go and buy usernames, and that’s why we decided to open reservations early,” Newton-Rex said.
Companies, organizations and creators with existing accounts on Meta’s social media platforms Instagram and Facebook will have the opportunity to claim their usernames on WhatsApp.
Usernames must be between three and 35 characters. To prevent impersonation, WhatsApp will block usernames of high-profile individuals or groups, such as celebrities, public figures, and government agencies.
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