Bhubaneswar, July 2 -- As concerns grow over the potential misuse of WhatsApp's upcoming username feature, the Meta-owned messaging platform has outlined how the system will work and the safeguards it plans to introduce. The clarification comes after the Indian government raised concerns that usernames could increase the risk of impersonation, phishing, online fraud, and 'digital arrest' scams.

In a detailed set of frequently asked questions, WhatsApp said the username feature will be completely optional. Users can continue using the platform with their existing phone number-based accounts and will not be required to create a username.

The company also clarified that usernames will not be publicly searchable, unlike on platforms such as...