New Delhi: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has widened its scrutiny of username-based messaging features, sending notices to Telegram and Signal a day after asking WhatsApp to pause the rollout of a similar feature in India.
According to reports, MeitY has asked both Telegram and Signal to explain how their username systems work and what safeguards are in place to prevent impersonation, phishing, fraud and other forms of misuse. In Telegram’s case, the ministry has reportedly asked why the platform should be allowed to retain the feature.
The government’s concern is that usernames, while designed to improve privacy by allowing users to communicate without sharing phone numbers, could also make it easier for fraudsters to create deceptive identities. Officials fear such handles may be used to impersonate public figures, government agencies, companies or trusted contacts, enabling scams, phishing attempts and so-called “digital arrest” frauds.
The move follows MeitY’s notice to WhatsApp, which had begun allowing users to reserve usernames ahead of a wider rollout. The ministry reportedly asked Meta to justify the feature and not launch it until consultations were completed. WhatsApp has maintained that the feature is optional, protected and not searchable, and that safeguards exist to prevent abuse.
The latest notices indicate that the government is no longer treating the issue as limited to WhatsApp, but as a broader regulatory concern across messaging platforms. Telegram has already faced scrutiny in India over fraud, impersonation and the circulation of sensitive or misleading content, including during the NEET controversy.
Digital rights groups, however, have questioned whether the government has the legal power to halt or pre-approve platform features, arguing that privacy-enhancing tools should not automatically be viewed as security risks. The government’s position is that platforms must meet due diligence obligations under India’s IT rules and ensure that new features do not worsen cybercrime risks.