United Kingdom, July 6 -- WhatsApp has paused the rollout of a major privacy update after Indian regulators raised concerns that it could trigger a rise in online fraud and impersonation scams.

The Meta-owned messaging platform unveiled the feature last week, allowing users to create unique usernames so they can connect with others without revealing their phone numbers.

The company described the change as a significant privacy enhancement designed to give users greater control over their personal information, particularly when joining group chats with people they do not know.

However, India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has ordered WhatsApp to suspend the rollout while officials assess whether the feature could u...