New Delhi, 04 July (H.S.): The Central Government has sought explanations from messaging platforms Telegram and Signal over concerns that their username features could facilitate fraud and identity impersonation. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued notices to both companies, seeking details about the security safeguards associated with the feature and the necessity of continuing to offer it.

According to media reports, the ministry has asked Telegram to explain why its username feature remains necessary and what measures the company has implemented to prevent potential cyber risks associated with it. Similar information has also been sought from Signal regarding the security framework governing its username feature.

The move comes shortly after the Centre asked Meta to defer the rollout of WhatsApp's proposed username feature in India. The government directed the company to submit detailed information on the feature within three days and refrain from launching it until consultations with the authorities are completed.

In its response, WhatsApp said that the username feature already incorporates safeguards designed to minimise the risks of identity impersonation and online fraud. The feature would allow users to connect with one another using unique usernames instead of sharing their mobile phone numbers, thereby offering an additional layer of privacy.

Meanwhile, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology S. Krishnan said the government is also investigating reports of an alleged data leak involving Apple's yet-to-be-launched iPhone 18 Pro. He stated that authorities are examining the reported theft of confidential documents from Tata Electronics and are verifying all related facts as part of the ongoing investigation.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar