To solve a privacy blind spot, WhatsApp announced on Monday that users will soon have the choice to use usernames rather than phone numbers.
According to the app, users can now reserve special usernames that will be used to communicate with other WhatsApp users when the functionality is introduced later this year.
Up until now, WhatsApp, which claims to have over 3 billion users worldwide, has let users be contacted by anyone with their phone number.
In a blog post, the Meta Platforms-owned app stated that users will have the option to be located and contacted just by their username, rather than their phone number, during the “coming months.” Regarding the timeline, it was not more precise.
WhatsApp’s vice president of product, Alice Newton-Rex, told reporters, “We have designed this as a core privacy feature.”
The program won’t have a directory of usernames, and it won’t make name suggestions while you write.
“To get in touch with you for the first time, people will need to know your exact username,” she stated.
The only privacy settings available on WhatsApp for now are the ability to silence unknown callers and blacklist specific people.
Additionally, the program lets users create a profile name, but only those who don’t have the user’s contact information preserved can see it in chat groups.
WhatsApp is popular throughout Europe, Asia, and most of the rest of the world, but Americans still prefer text messaging.
Users will probably rush to claim a catchy online handle because they are highly sought after.
Newton-Rex stated, “We decided to open reservations early because I think a lot of people will go and get usernames.”
Businesses, groups, and artists who already have accounts on Facebook and Instagram, two of Meta’s social media networks, will be able to claim their usernames on WhatsApp.
Usernames must contain three to thirty-five characters. WhatsApp will withhold usernames for prominent individuals or organizations, including public personalities, government agencies, and celebrities, to avoid imitation.
