The messaging application “WhatsApp” has launched a new feature that enables users to create a unique user name, with the aim of supporting privacy and facilitating communication without the need to share phone numbers.
Technical reports stated that this feature is currently available to a limited number of “Android” and “iOS” users, and will be gradually launched to everyone in the coming weeks.
This addition represents a qualitative shift in how the application is used, as it has become possible to search for users and communicate with them using the user name only, which reduces reliance on personal phone numbers and increases the level of security and privacy.
Users can create a username through the profile settings in the application, through simple steps that allow the name to be permanently linked to the account to be used instead of the number when sharing or searching.
The company imposed certain restrictions on choosing user names, including prohibiting the use of names that begin with “www,” or ending with site extensions such as “.com,” in addition to the fact that the name must contain at least one letter, to prevent only numerical or symbolic names.
Through this step, WhatsApp aims to find a balance between ease of access to users and protecting their personal data, in light of an increasing trend in communication applications towards enhancing privacy and reducing the sharing of sensitive information.
This feature is expected to contribute to improving the user experience, especially for those who prefer not to share their phone numbers when communicating through the platform.
