pakistan
No more phone numbers: WhatsApp rolls out usernames
Key takeaways
- Instead, people will be able to pick unique usernames to share with others, in a move “designed to protect the privacy of your phone number,” Whats App said in a statement.
- Restricting access to phone numbers would mean they are not shared automatically in cases such as being added to a large group chat or messaging person or business for the first time, the company added.
- What’s more “there’s no directory to browse and no suggestions, so people need to know your exact username to contact you,” Meta said.
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
Add ARY News on Google AAResize Paris: The hundreds of millions who use Meta-owned messenger Whats App to chat with family, friends or businesses will no longer need to share phone numbers under a coming update, the company said Monday.
Instead, people will be able to pick unique usernames to share with others, in a move “designed to protect the privacy of your phone number,” Whats App said in a statement.
Restricting access to phone numbers would mean they are not shared automatically in cases such as being added to a large group chat or messaging person or business for the first time, the company added.
Article preview — originally published by ARY News. Full story at the source.
Read full story on ARY News →
More top stories
Also covered by
Al Jazeera
WhatsApp to let users go by usernames, not phone numbers
Engadget
WhatsApp introduces usernames so you can chat without phone numbers
The Hindu
WhatsApp will allow users to go by usernames instead of phone numbers, closing a privacy loophole
BBC News
WhatsApp to let people chat without swapping phone numbers
Aggregated and edited by the Scoop newsroom. We surface news from ARY News alongside other reporting so you can compare coverage in one place.
Editorial policy · Corrections · About Scoop