WhatsApp is bringing usernames as a new way to connect online, and so far, it has got the internet divided. While some are welcoming WhatsApp’s move from solely relying on phone numbers as the way to reach out to new users, others are questioning the privacy aspects, leading to a wave of debates among top Indian creators and general users. From comedian Vir Das to entrepreneur Ankur Warikoo, a lot of people have spoken on WhatsApp usernames feature.
While Meta pitches its new ‘WhatsApp Usernames’ feature as a major win for personal privacy, prominent personalities are warning of a flip side – the imminent threat of identity theft (as proven by some posts), sophisticated scams, and digital “land grabbing.”
Hence, let’s take a look at how the internet’s most influential voices are reacting to WhatsApp’s biggest shakeup in years.
Internet personalities warn of impending disasters
Some of the most urgent warnings came from the tech and startup sectors, where leaders quicky identified how bad actors might exploit the feature.
Entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo called the rollout a potential “disaster” for India if robust anti-abuse measures aren’t strictly enforced. He painted a grim picture of scammers registering slight variations of established names, such as ‘awarikoo’ or ‘ankurwarikooofficial’, to run financial frauds.
“With no phone number to call for quick verification, a key trust layer disappears,” Warikoo stated, adding that less tech-savvy users are particularly vulnerable because they often fail to distinguish between verified badges and lookalike handles.
Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of Paytm, shared similar concerns. He predicted a confusing ecosystem of “verified usernames on WhatsApp, and then unverified similar-sounding usernames” that could easily enable widespread deception.
Rajeev Mantri, the Founder and Managing Partner of venture capital firm Navam Capital, also shared concerns regarding implications of usernames. “This is a colossal data harvesting and data pooling scheme – Meta’s objective is to get you to link social accounts across WhatsApp and Instagram, to move the needle on ad targeting and thus improve engagement and revenues. They are playing on consumers’ FOMO to quickly grab the username of choice. Clever,” he wrote.
Vir Das goes satirical
Comedian and actor Vir Das took a sharp, satirical aim at both the immediate rush to secure premium handles and the predictable corporate hype cycles surrounding the update. “Slow clap for anyone who grabs the title ‘University’ on Whatsapp,” joked Das, refering to the chaotic rush to secure authoritative titles, followed by several satirical references to controversial figures.
He followed it up by roasting the LinkedIn-style “thought leadership” posts, stating “This new username format completely changes our business landscape, opening up new revenue streams, consolidating focus, here’s how….”. He immediately undercut himself with, “Bro…kya kar raha hai? Seriously…I have zero info. You’re better than this.”
Meanwhile, entrepreneur Sandeep Mall offered a more measured, cautiously optimistic view. He highlighted that the inclusion of a mandatory passkey — a 4-digit code required to message someone via their username — is a massive victory for keeping personal phone numbers private from strangers.
What is WhatsApp bringing to usernames?
For the first time in its history, Meta is offering usernames as a privacy-first innovation designed to give users more control over their personal data.
– You can now start chats or join groups using a unique handle (e.g., @yourhandle) without revealing your phone number.
– Users are not forced to create a username, and handles do not need to match your Instagram or Facebook profiles.
– To prevent random spamming, users can set a “username key” (a short PIN) that others must enter to initiate a chat.
– Usernames must be between 3 and 35 characters. Meta has also started pre-reserving handles for celebrities, VIPs, and global organisations to mitigate immediate concerns.
How to reserve your WhatsApp handle
You can reserve your WhatsApp username on the latest version of the app. Note that once Meta approves of the reservations, the company plans with a wider roll-out for later this year.
If you want to secure your name, here is how to check for access:
– Update WhatsApp to the absolute latest version via your app store.
– Navigate to Settings > Account > Username (or tap your profile picture).
– If eligible, enter your desired handle. A built-in generator is available if your first choice is taken.
– Set up a username key/PIN to ensure random strangers cannot spam your inbox.