After India, Somalia raises concerns over WhatsApp username feature
Somalia has become the latest country to challenge Meta Platforms Inc.’s plan to introduce usernames on WhatsApp, warning the change could undermine security in a nation that has battled Islamist militants for roughly two decades.
This month, WhatsApp began allowing users to reserve unique handles, a feature slated to roll out later this year as part of Meta’s effort to let the app’s 3 billion users connect without sharing phone numbers.
India, WhatsApp’s largest market with more than 600 million users, asked Meta last week to pause the launch, citing fears the feature could turbocharge online fraud.
Replacing phone numbers with usernames could hamper Somali authorities’ efforts to identify suspects in terrorism cases, organized crime, and other offenses, said Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, director-general of the National Communications Authority of Somalia, in a phone interview on Monday.
“Somalia is following India’s example,” he said. “Among the concerns we raised include concerns about the potential for increased impersonation of government institutions and public officials, financial fraud targeting Somalia’s mobile money ecosystem, misuse of anonymous communications by terrorist organizations such as al-Shabaab, and organized cybercriminal networks.”
Somalia has fought al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab since 2006, a conflict that has killed thousands, displaced millions within the country, and diverted scarce government funds toward security at the expense of development.
Meta did not respond to an emailed request for comment on Somalia’s objections.
