All posts tagged: usernames

Govt mulls common messaging platform rules after WhatsApp row

Govt mulls common messaging platform rules after WhatsApp row

Published by Webster

The Central government is considering introducing common regulatory standards for messaging platforms operating in India following the controversy surrounding WhatsApp’s proposed username feature, according to multiple reports. The proposed framework is aimed at creating a uniform regulatory approach for messaging services rather than taking platform-specific decisions. Disclaimer: We do not own any of the content, ideas, images, or text presented here. All rights belong to their respective owners. For more information and to view the original source, please visit the following link: Source link

Why WhatsApp’s usernames feature has sparked a showdown with Indian government | Technology News

Why WhatsApp’s usernames feature has sparked a showdown with Indian government | Technology News

Published by Parlour News

Days after WhatsApp began rolling out username reservations for its yet-to-be-released feature, the platform seems to have run into a regulatory hurdle in India. The new feature, named usernames, allows people to find each other by username instead of phone number. In a letter to the Meta-owned platform, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said usernames could increase the instances of online fraud and digital arrest scams, and could unleash impersonation by allowing bad actors to contact users without revealing their phone numbers. The government body also warned that usernames resembling those of noted individuals, financial institutions or government agencies could lead to identity spoofing. This is the latest attempt by the government to scrutinise anonymity features on messaging platforms. A few weeks ago, the government raised similar concerns about Telegram’s username-based messaging feature and argued that hiding phone numbers makes it difficult for law enforcement to identify users involved in cybercrime. The latest standoff raises broader questions: are the government’s concerns justified, or do WhatsApp’s safeguards sufficiently address them? What is changing? …

Signal introduces usernames, makes sharing phone numbers a thing of the past | Technology News

Published by Parlour News

Signal, the instant messaging app that focuses on user privacy and security has introduced a new username feature that makes sharing phone numbers a thing of the past. In a blog post, the company said that by default, your phone number will no longer be visible to everyone you chat with. However, people who have your number saved will still be able to see it. While your signal profile name and photo will be visible in group and individual chats, people who don’t have your phone number saved won’t be able to see it. The company says existing users will now be able to create a unique username that they can share with others instead of sharing their phone number, but you will still need a phone number to sign up for Signal. Signal says that the username is not a permanent handle and won’t be visible to the people you are chatting with. Another thing to note here is that your username is not the same as your profile name that is displayed in …

Twitter claims there’s ‘no evidence’ 200 million leaked usernames and email addresses came from an exploit of its systems

Published by Webster

A database posted online claims to reveal more than 200 million associated Twitter usernames and email addresses. Now, several days after the initial reports, Twitter says the “dataset could not be correlated with the previously reported incident or any data originating from an exploitation of Twitter systems.” According to reports from security researchers and media outlets including BleepingComputer, the credentials in the leak were compiled from a number of earlier Twitter breaches dating back to 2021. According to Twitter, however, there is “no evidence that data recently being sold was obtained by exploiting a vulnerability of Twitter systems.” Its statement addresses the information in the datasets only by saying, “The data is likely a collection of data already publicly available online through different sources.” The Verge contacted Twitter for additional clarity about the accuracy of the records in the leaks, but Twitter does not have a functioning press office since being acquired by Elon Musk. 5.4 million user accounts reported in November were found to be the same as those exposed in August 2022. 400 …