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The government of India on Wednesday issued a notice to Meta regarding the controversial username feature on WhatsApp in India due to concerns about impersonation and fraud, and warned the platform not to roll it.

Hours after the government issued a notice to Meta-owned WhatsApp over the proposed rollout of the 'username feature', the messaging service platform claimed they have built "multiple layers of defence against scams".

Meta also plans to reinstate charges for certain types of business messages as it seeks to accelerate WhatsApp Business growth.

WhatsApp pauses its username feature rollout in India following government concerns over impersonation and a demand for a detailed safety explanation.

Lawyers, industry experts & law enforcement agencies are reading WhatsApp's username feature differently. 'Was easier to track people using phone numbers,' says officer with Delhi Police's cyber unit.

Regulatory bodies fear that transitioning to custom usernames will severely hamper active cybercrime investigations

The government is examining WhatsApp's new usernames feature amid concerns that it could facilitate impersonation, fraud and other online scams. Meta has maintained that the feature includes several safeguards designed to curb misuse.

A federal judge rejected Meta Platforms' bid to dismiss a lawsuit by 29 U.S. state attorneys general accusing it of designing Facebook and Instagram to addict children

Meta has introduced WhatsApp Plus in India, a Rs 79 monthly subscription that adds premium themes, icons, stickers and other customisation features while keeping core messaging free.

WhatsApp has started rolling out usernames, allowing users to connect without sharing phone numbers but many fear the feature could fuel impersonation scams in India