WhatsApp Introduces Username-Based Chats to Protect Phone Number Privacy
WhatsApp to let people chat without – WhatsApp is rolling out a privacy-focused update that allows users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers, replacing them with unique usernames. This change will be available to the app’s three billion users globally over the coming months. Starting next week, individuals can reserve a name via the app, though it remains optional.
Once fully implemented, users will be able to connect using usernames alone. However, phone numbers will still be necessary for account creation. The app will limit usernames to 35 characters, with some high-profile figures, such as celebrities and officials, excluded from public use of their names.
Privacy Controls and Trade-offs
WhatsApp’s usernames feature is marketed as a privacy tool, but experts caution that the app isn’t entirely privacy-centric. Carisa Veliz, an Oxford University professor and author of *Privacy is Power*, noted that while the update offers more control, WhatsApp continues to collect metadata for marketing purposes.
“It collects much metadata about users for marketing purposes,” Veliz said. “We have to remember that WhatsApp is owned by Meta—one of the tech companies with the worst track records when it comes to privacy.”
Alice Newton-Rex, WhatsApp’s head of product, highlighted user concerns about revealing phone numbers, especially in group chats. She stated, “I’ve heard from users that they didn’t always want to share their phone numbers to be in contact with others. This feature gives users control over how they choose to show up on the app.”
Comparisons and Revenue Model
Similar functionality has already been introduced by Signal, a secure messaging app, in 2024. Despite this, WhatsApp’s username system does not eliminate all data collection. The app uses information like who you message and when to support advertising, though private chats remain encrypted and not used for ads.
WhatsApp’s free model relies on these data practices. While the app offers increased privacy controls, users will still have their phone numbers visible unless they opt for the new system. The minimum age for account creation is 13, and messaging apps are not included in the UK’s upcoming social media ban for under-16 users, set for next year.
Leadership Transition
WhatsApp recently announced Kunal Shah, founder of an Indian fintech start-up, will replace Will Cathcart as head of the platform after seven years in the role. This shift marks a new phase in the app’s development as it continues to balance privacy enhancements with its existing data strategies.
