The report highlighted that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) is in the process of developing unified standards for the country’s messaging services.
The aim of this initiative is to ensure that all platforms adhere to the same regulations, providing clear legal backing for government decisions concerning their features. Additionally, the ministry is preparing to formally challenge WhatsApp’s new username feature, citing concerns that it could hinder law enforcement investigations into crimes.
“We oppose WhatsApp implementing this feature. Given its extensive user base in India, the introduction of usernames could complicate issues related to impersonation, digital arrest scams, online fraud, and investigations by law enforcement,” a government official familiar with the situation informed HT.
Are Uniform Standards for Messaging Platforms Approaching?
Officials are advocating for standardized regulations amid what they perceive as a regulatory shortfall. At present, even when competing services offer similar functionalities, authorities may attempt to block one platform from introducing a specific feature due to the lack of clear regulations that either permit or prohibit such features.
Responses from WhatsApp and Telegram to IT Ministry
Reports indicate that both platforms have described the security protocols embedded in their username features. According to another official who chose to remain unnamed, the administration is reviewing both responses, but no specific details have been disclosed.
Signal and Telegram received a notification on July 3, but Signal has not yet issued a response. On July 2, Sridhar Vembu, founder of Zoho, announced on X that the company would remove the username-based account feature from its messaging service Arattai “to comply with the regulatory change.”
The Current IT Regulations and Their Provisions
In India, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Arattai operate as intermediaries under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 and the Information Technology Act, 2000. These provisions require platforms to exercise due diligence, assist law enforcement, and comply with legitimate government orders.
However, neither the 2021 regulations nor the IT Act establishes a consistent framework dictating the features that a messaging platform may or may not offer.
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(Edited by : Juviraj Anchil)
First Published: Jul 11, 2026 10:33 AM IST
