Greater Safety or New Dangers?WhatsApp Will Allow Users to Add Contacts Without a Phone Number in the Future
In other messaging apps like Signal or Telegram, using usernames instead of phone numbers has been standard practice for many years. Now WhatsApp is following suit and offering this feature as well. The provider, Meta, has not disclosed why this feature is being introduced at this particular time. One possible interpretation is that Meta is adopting features from competing products to enhance its own offerings. Another reason could be the EU guidelines published last year on measures to ensure a high level of privacy, security, and protection for minors online . Among other things, these guidelines state that services must ensure that “the personal contact information of minors, including email addresses and phone numbers, is never shared with other users unless the minors have expressly consented.”
Until now, a phone number has been the key requirement for contacting someone on WhatsApp. In the future, users will be able to use a username instead. The advantage: Anyone who enables this feature will no longer have to disclose their phone number when making initial contact. However, WhatsApp accounts will remain linked to a phone number. It is still unclear exactly when the change will take effect. As is often the case with new features in Meta products, the company does not provide exact details on the launch date and states that the change will be “rolled out gradually over the coming months.” Users can, however , alreadyreserve their usernames. To do so, go to WhatsApp Settings, tap “Account,” and then tap “Username.”
WhatsApp provides the following information about usernames
- They must be between three and 35 characters long.
- They can be changed or deleted at any time.
- They cannot be found via a public directory.
- You can only be contacted if others know your exact username.
- In addition, a four-digit code can be enabled, which is required for the first contact.
What does this change mean for children and adolescents?
The new feature can have both advantages and disadvantages for children and teenagers. On the one hand, they will have to share their phone number with strangers less often in the future. At the same time, an easily searchable username can open up new opportunities for making connections.
It is particularly important that parents help their children choose a safe username. Instead of their real name, pseudonyms that do not reveal the child’s identity are a better choice. Usernames should also never include the child’s year of birth, age, or any clues about where they live.
It’s also important to consider that a pseudonym can still reveal a child’s identity if it’s used across different platforms. For example, someone who has a public profile on Instagram and shares a lot of personal information there can then be contacted on WhatsApp using the same username. To prevent different online profiles from being linked, a unique pseudonym should therefore be used everywhere.
For children’s accounts, you should definitely take advantage of the option to set up a so-called username key. This four-digit code creates an additional barrier to prevent strangers from contacting your child. When this security feature is enabled, only people who know your child’s exact username and the four-digit username key can start a private conversation with your child.
In addition to security considerations, it’s also important to ensure that usernames do not violate the community standards . For example, they must not contain profanity or discriminatory language. Some terms are already restricted by WhatsApp from the outset.
Parents should discuss the following with their children:
- Which username reveals as little personal information as possible?
- Why shouldn’t you use the same username everywhere on the internet?
- When should the additional username password be enabled?
- How should you handle contact requests from strangers?
