India's IT Ministry Considers Messaging Standards Amid WhatsApp Feature Dispute

India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is reportedly developing common standards for messaging platforms operating in the country. This initiative comes as the ministry formally opposes WhatsApp's proposed username feature, according to an official cited by Hindustan Times.

The ministry's objection stems from concerns that usernames could facilitate impersonation, online fraud, and other scams, while also complicating investigations by law enforcement agencies. "We are not in favour of WhatsApp introducing this feature. Given its massive user base in India, usernames could make impersonation, digital arrest scams, online fraud and even investigations by law enforcement more difficult," the official stated.

MeitY aims to establish uniform rules, as it has previously intervened in features on one platform without clear guidelines for others. "It cannot be that we stop one platform from rolling out a feature while allowing others to continue offering the same thing. The rules have to be uniform for everyone," the official explained, seeking legal backing for preemptive actions.

However, tech publication MediaNama has questioned MeitY's authority and definitions, noting the absence of a clear definition for "messaging platform" in existing regulations. Critics also argue the ministry lacks the legal standing to impose such standards without parliamentary legislation. WhatsApp and Telegram have responded to MeitY's queries, while Signal has yet to reply.