India, July 1 -- The Centre has put the rollout of WhatsApp's upcoming username feature on hold and sought a detailed explanation from Meta, directing the company to furnish its response within three days.

According to NDTV's sources, the government has told Meta that the feature cannot be rolled out until consultations on the matter are completed.

Feature aimed at protecting phone number privacy

The proposed feature would allow WhatsApp users to choose a unique username and connect with others without sharing their phone numbers, a move aimed at enhancing user privacy and reducing unwanted access.

At present, users generally need a phone number to connect with someone on the messaging platform.

The company said it opened early reser...