WhatsApp is testing a new privacy feature that could reshape how users connect on the platform. The messaging app has introduced a username feature in its latest Android beta version, 2.25.28.12, allowing users to chat without revealing their phone numbers.
The new feature represents a major privacy upgrade, as it lets users hide their phone numbers from people who aren’t saved in their contacts. It also brings WhatsApp closer in functionality to platforms like Telegram and Signal, which already offer username-based privacy options.
While users will still need to register with a phone number to set up their accounts, the username feature adds an extra layer of protection against spam and unwanted contact. The update is currently in testing and expected to roll out widely before the end of 2025.
Reactions online have been mixed. Some users praised the feature as a step forward for privacy, while others expressed concerns that it might complicate WhatsApp’s simplicity. One X user, @EdenJohnson, wrote, “Someone else should just create another app for those who prefer connecting through phone numbers. We don’t have to follow WhatsApp’s new username approach.”
Another, @titantdiddy, called it “a retrogressive development,” arguing that WhatsApp should focus on improving performance and functionality instead. However, user @_iampresitige offered a more balanced view: “If usernames only allow people already in my contacts to find me, that’s fine. But if anyone can add me just by knowing my username, that could compromise privacy.”
As WhatsApp continues refining the feature, questions remain about its implications for security, spam control, and user experience. Still, with more than two billion users globally, the introduction of usernames could become one of the platform’s most significant changes since its creation.
Source: https://thetrumpet.ng/
