The move comes a day after the Centre issued a notice to WhatsApp over its planned rollout of usernames, directing the platform to pause the feature until consultations with the government are completed to its satisfaction
New Delhi: The Centre has expanded its scrutiny of messaging platforms by issuing notices to Telegram and Signal over their username feature, following a similar notice sent to Meta-owned WhatsApp earlier this week.
According to a government source, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has sought explanations from Telegram and Signal on how they address concerns related to fraud, impersonation and cybercrime arising from username-based accounts.
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The government has specifically asked Telegram why the username feature should continue to be allowed on its platform. The feature enables users to connect using unique usernames instead of sharing their phone numbers.
The move comes a day after the Centre issued a notice to WhatsApp over its planned rollout of usernames, directing the platform to pause the feature until consultations with the government are completed to its satisfaction.
In its notice to WhatsApp, the government argued that the proposed feature could "materially increase" incidents of online fraud, phishing, digital arrest scams and impersonation attacks by making it easier for malicious actors to contact potential victims.
The government has also asked Meta to explain why action should not be initiated under the Information Technology Act and related rules, while reminding the company that WhatsApp, as a significant social media intermediary, is required to comply with due diligence obligations under Indian law.
A government source said the cases involving Telegram and WhatsApp are similar but not identical. Telegram already offers usernames, whereas WhatsApp has only announced plans to introduce the feature. The government also noted the significant difference in user bases, with India being WhatsApp's largest market, hosting more than 500 million users.
Telegram and Signal did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, Zoho-backed Indian messaging platform Arattai has announced that it will disable its username-based account feature to comply with the evolving regulatory position. The development was confirmed by Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu in a post on X.
WhatsApp has defended its proposed feature, stating that it includes safeguards designed to protect users from scams, impersonation and unwanted contact. The company also published a detailed set of frequently asked questions outlining how usernames will work and the security measures planned to accompany the rollout.
Telegram has faced increasing regulatory scrutiny in India in recent months over concerns related to fraud, impersonation and the circulation of sensitive content. The platform was temporarily blocked in the country for a week until 22 June over its alleged failure to curb the spread of leaked and fake NEET examination papers, misleading content and other fraudulent material linked to the medical entrance examination. Services resumed after the temporary restriction expired.
(PTI)
Published: 03 Jul 2026, 06:42 am IST
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