WhatsApp Introduces Usernames to Enhance User Privacy

WhatsApp, the popular messaging platform owned by Meta, is launching a new feature that enables users to communicate without disclosing their phone numbers. Instead, individuals will be able to exchange unique usernames, a move aimed at improving user privacy. This feature is expected to be rolled out globally to WhatsApp's three billion users over the coming months.

Starting Monday, users can reserve a username through the app, though this step is optional. WhatsApp emphasised that these usernames can be changed or removed at any time.

Once fully implemented, users will only need to share their usernames to connect on the platform. Despite this change, WhatsApp will maintain options for users to block or report unwanted messages.

The usernames will have a limit of 35 characters and come with some restrictions. Notably, high-profile figures and celebrities will not have their names available for use, aiming to prevent impersonation. For instance, it is unlikely that users can register under the name of Donald Trump.

Alice Newton-Rex, the head of product at WhatsApp, noted that user feedback has indicated a preference for not having to share phone numbers to stay connected, particularly in group chats. She stated that the feature is intended to “give users control over how they choose to show up” on the app.

This new feature is similar to a service introduced by another messaging application, Signal, in 2024. While recognising the potential privacy benefits of using usernames, Carisa Veliz, a professor at Oxford University, cautioned against viewing WhatsApp as inherently privacy-friendly. She mentioned, “It collects much metadata about users for marketing purposes.”

WhatsApp maintains that it does not use the content of private messages for advertising, as these conversations are protected by end-to-end encryption. However, the company does collect data related to messaging patterns for targeted advertising purposes.

Following the rollout, individual phone numbers will not be visible to other users. There will not be a public directory of usernames, and users still need a phone number to create a WhatsApp account. The platform also has a minimum age requirement of 13 years, and messaging apps are not included in the UK's upcoming social media restrictions affecting users under 16, set to take effect next year.

Additionally, WhatsApp recently announced leadership changes, appointing Kunal Shah, founder of an Indian fintech company, as the new head of the platform, succeeding Will Cathcart, who has led WhatsApp for the past seven years.