Meta has started introducing a username feature for WhatsApp, which allows users to chat without sharing their phone numbers. However, this move has quickly led to a legal challenge from the Indian government.

Meta 已開始為 WhatsApp 推出用戶名稱功能，讓使用者無需分享電話號碼即可聊天。然而，此舉很快便引起了印度政府的法律挑戰。

Meta claims that switching from phone numbers to usernames improves privacy and protects users from risks like SIM-swap attacks and unwanted messages. This change allows users to create unique handles and connect their identities across Facebook and Instagram. Despite this, security experts and public figures argue that removing phone numbers makes it harder to hold people accountable and makes it easier for criminals to fake their identities. For example, during the early stages, some users were able to reserve usernames that looked like famous politicians or banks, which could lead to more fraud.

Meta 聲稱從電話號碼切換為用戶名稱可提升隱私，並保護使用者免受 SIM 卡交換攻擊及不請之客的訊息風險。此項變更允許使用者創建唯一的名稱，並將其在 Facebook 和 Instagram 的身份連結起來。儘管如此，安全專家與公眾人物認為，移除電話號碼會使追究責任變得更困難，且讓犯罪者更容易偽造身份。例如，在早期階段，部分使用者能夠預留看起來像著名政治人物或銀行的用戶名稱，這可能會導致更多詐騙。

Consequently, the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has ordered Meta to stop the rollout and provide a technical explanation within three days. The ministry emphasized that this feature could increase phishing attacks and scams where criminals pretend to be government officials. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies stated that anonymity makes it difficult to track cybercriminals, especially those using foreign phone numbers. On the other hand, digital rights groups argue that fraud should be handled through criminal law rather than by restricting product design. Meta has responded by explaining its security measures, such as reserving high-profile names and using automated systems to detect abuse.

因此，印度電子與資訊科技部 (MeitY) 已命令 Meta 停止推行，並要求在三天內提供技術解釋。該部門強調，此功能可能會增加網路釣魚攻擊以及犯罪者冒充政府官員的詐騙。此外，執法機關表示，匿名性使得追蹤網路犯罪者變得困難，尤其是那些使用外國電話號碼的人。另一方面，數位權利團體認為，詐騙應透過刑事法律處理，而非限制產品設計。Meta 則回應解釋了其安全措施，例如預留高知名度名稱，以及使用自動化系統偵測濫用行為。

The launch of WhatsApp usernames is currently paused in India while the government decides how to balance user privacy with national security.

WhatsApp 用戶名稱功能的推出目前在印度暫停，直到政府決定如何平衡使用者隱私與國家安全。