WhatsApp Begins Testing Feature for Chatting Without Phone Number

WhatsApp is reportedly testing a new feature that enables users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers. This phone number-free chatting feature comes in the form of a username, which is currently in the beta stage. With this feature, users will only need to share their username to start a conversation, without providing their personal phone number. WhatsApp has until now relied on phone numbers as the identity for each user’s account. According to reports from the WABetaInfo website, this username feature is now available to a small group of testers on Android and iOS devices. The introduction of the username feature aims to improve privacy. Previously, users had to share their phone numbers to communicate with other WhatsApp users. With the new system, identities can be shared without exposing personal information. However, phone numbers remain the primary requirement for registering and using WhatsApp. This means the username is merely an additional layer, not a replacement for the existing system. In its testing, WhatsApp has set several rules for creating usernames. Usernames must consist of 3 to 35 characters, include at least one letter, and can only use lowercase letters, numbers, periods, and underscores. Certain formats are also prohibited, such as those resembling website addresses, for example, endings with “.com” or prefixes like “www”. The feature is designed to give users more control in filtering incoming messages. Interestingly, this username can also be linked to accounts on Facebook and Instagram, although the same name cannot be used if it is already taken on those platforms. So far, there is no official information on when this feature will be widely released, as summarised by KompasTekno from Trusted Reviews.