Telegram responds to Indian government's notice over controversial username feature
What's the story
Telegram has responded to the Indian government's notice regarding its controversial 'username' feature. The move comes after WhatsApp's response was received and is now being reviewed by officials according to PTI. The feature in question would let users communicate via usernames instead of mobile numbers, a change that has raised concerns over potential misuse for online frauds, phishing attacks, impersonation scams.
Concerns raised
WhatsApp sought more time to respond
The Indian government had expressed apprehensions that the new feature could significantly increase online frauds, phishing attacks, and impersonation scams. It also directed Meta-owned WhatsApp not to launch the feature until discussions with the government were completed "to the satisfaction of the government." After receiving this notice, WhatsApp sought more time to respond and assured that it wouldn't roll out in India until consultations were complete.
Further actions
Telegram received similar notice after WhatsApp
After WhatsApp, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued similar notices to Telegram and Signal. The government sought details on how their existing username-based systems mitigate fraud and impersonation risks. Notably, while WhatsApp has a whopping 500 million users in India, Telegram's user base is much smaller.
Meeting details
Meta officials met government representatives
Last Friday, Meta representatives met officials in MeitY after being summoned over the issue. The government had asked Meta to justify why action shouldn't be taken under the Information Technology Act and related rules over the proposed feature. It also reminded the company that as a major social media intermediary, WhatsApp must comply with due diligence obligations under law.
Regulatory challenges
Regulatory scrutiny for Meta, Telegram on other fronts too
In recent days, both Meta and Telegram have been under regulatory scrutiny for other reasons as well. The government had issued a notice to Meta over child sexual abuse material appearing in Instagram ads. Meanwhile, Telegram was directed to take action against the widespread circulation of pirated films, OTT content on its platform.