WhatsApp is set to introduce a username feature, allowing users to add contacts and exchange messages without sharing their phone number. The ability to reserve preferred nicknames begins this week, and the full rollout of this functionality, according to The Verge, is expected by the end of this year.
To secure an available username, users need to update the app to the latest version and navigate to “Settings” — “Account” — “Username”. As stated by WhatsApp’s head of product, Alice Newton-Rex, to prevent mass creation of fake accounts, the messenger has pre-reserved nicknames for well-known politicians and celebrities. Meanwhile, regular users and organizations will be able to link their existing identifiers from Instagram✴ and Facebook✴ to their profiles, thus eliminating the risk of identity spoofing.
Since searching through the username database is not available for privacy reasons, initiating a new conversation will require knowing the exact nickname of the other person. It is also noted that hiding the phone number will only apply to new chats, while current participants in ongoing conversations will retain access to previously shared information.
As an additional security measure, developers will introduce an optional username key, which users must provide to others to enable message sending. This will help protect profile owners in case their nickname is published without their consent.
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