WhatsApp users will no longer have to share their phone numbers to connect with family, friends, or businesses.
The platform will allow individuals to select unique usernames as part of a new rollout. Meta stated that the development is “designed to protect the privacy of your phone number.” By restricting access to phone numbers, the platform ensures that contact digits are not automatically distributed when individuals join large group chats or message a person or business for the first time.
Meta clarified that “there’s no directory to browse and no suggestions, so people need to know your exact username to contact you.”
Because the service possesses a user base of over three billion people, many individuals will likely face difficulty securing their primary choice of handle.
The parent company announced that username reservations will roll out worldwide “over the coming months.” The system will alert individuals within specific countries when the feature goes live in their region.
During the rollout phase, creators, small businesses, and organisations will receive permission to secure the same WhatsApp usernames that they currently utilize across alternative Meta platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
