WhatsApp tests privacy-led age checks in India, defers username rollout
WhatsApp is testing optional, privacy-protective age confirmation for its nearly 500 million Indian users as it prepares for DPDP-linked child-safety requirements. The Meta platform has also deferred its proposed username feature after government concerns over fraud, impersonation and privacy.
WhatsApp is testing optional privacy-protective age confirmation for Indian users ahead of DPDP requirements. Separately, it has paused its proposed username feature in India following government concerns about fraud, impersonation and privacy risks.
Why this matters
The move extends WhatsApp's recent India pattern: the government asked Meta to pause usernames over brand impersonation, while the feature had muted expected impact on D2C and quick-commerce operators. WhatsApp's UPI volumes also recently edged past CRED.
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