Worried about who has access to your information? WhatsApp is working on an update that'll let you limit who has access to your phone number for the first time.
Since its launch in late 2009, WhatsApp has always required a phone number. However, the most popular messaging service on the planet, which is now owned and operated by Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta, confirmed plans to introduce usernames last year.
"Usernames on WhatsApp will add an extra degree of privacy so that you don’t need to share your phone number when messaging someone," the company stated in its blog. It's been over a year since that news broke, and now, usernames could finally make it into the iPhone and Android app.
The eagle-eyed team over at WABetaInfo recently uncovered an update from WhatsApp that will let you pick out and reserve your own username. This means instead of sharing your personal phone number with new contacts for one-on-one conversations, group chats, or business messaging, you can simply give out your username.
This lets you protect your privacy and maintain control over who has access to your personal information by masking your identity.
The topic of digital security has been at the top of everyone's minds lately. News of progress on the username feature in WhatsApp comes as the UK is planning to roll out the use of Digital IDs, requiring personal data such as your name, date of birth, information on nationality or residency status, and a photo of yourself. Many are against this, with nearly 2.7 million Britons having signed a petition opposing the plan.
Here’s how WhatsApp is stepping up its security to better protect its users.
Your username will appear in a new section within your profile tab once the feature goes live, right under the phone number section
|From the photo WABetaInfo captured above, your username will appear in a new section within your profile tab once the feature goes live. When someone doesn't have your number saved in their contacts, they'll see your username rather than your phone number.
This makes sharing your contact details much simpler and safer. You won't need to worry about giving out personal information when you're meeting new people or networking.
The feature builds on last year's PIN code protection system, which is a two-step verification process that adds a second layer of security to your account. For instance, even if someone knows your username, they'll need to enter your specific code before they can start messaging you. This gives you complete control over who can actually reach out and start a conversation with you on the platform.
You'll need to follow specific rules when creating your username, too. It must contain at least one letter and can include lowercase letters, numbers, periods and underscores.
It also needs to be between three and thirty characters long. You can't start or end it with a period, and it can't begin with "www" or end with domain extensions like ".com" or ".net".
These guidelines are designed to help prevent impersonation attempts. Each username must be unique across the entire platform, and you won't be able to use a name that's already in your contact list.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
The feature is still in testing mode for both Android and iOS users, and there's no exact release date yet. Although it appears it could be released soon, as the messaging platform irons out the final kinks.
WhatsApp is constantly launching new updates and features, too. Most recently, it came out with the ability to rewrite your text messages for you.
| WHATSAPP PRESS OFFICEWhatsApp is constantly launching new updates and features, too. Most recently, it came out with the ability to rewrite your text messages for you. Called Writing Help, WhatsApp can transform your texts with Artificial Intelligence (AI) while keeping your conversations completely private.
They also recently rolled out the ability to schedule calls in advance, so you'll never miss an important conversation again.
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