Zoho has decided to disable username-based accounts in Arattai after similar concerns drew the attention of regulators in India. The move comes as the debate over usernames in messaging apps intensifies, with platform makers now facing closer scrutiny over fraud risks and identity misuse.
For Arattai, the decision marks a sharp pivot. The app had offered usernames as a way for people to connect without sharing phone numbers, but Zoho is now removing that option to align with changing regulatory expectations.
Why usernames became a concern
According to Sridhar Vembu, one of Zoho’s co-founders, the change is being made to comply with regulatory shifts. He shared the update on X, signaling that the company is moving quickly in response to the pressure building around the feature.
Messaging usernames work much like public identities on social platforms, but they are attached to private communication tools. That has raised concern in India, where officials worry that scammers could use lookalike names to impersonate government agencies, organizations, or public figures.
| Platform | Status of Username Feature | Key Issue |
|---|---|---|
| Arattai | Being disabled | Regulatory compliance and scam prevention |
| Planned, not canceled | Under regulatory review in India | |
| Signal and Telegram | Already support usernames | Asked to explain fraud-related risks |
WhatsApp’s safeguards did not calm the scrutiny
The issue grew more visible after WhatsApp announced plans to bring usernames to its app. Regulators became concerned that bad actors could exploit similar names to deceive users, especially in a country where WhatsApp is used at enormous scale.
Meta says the planned feature includes built-in protections. Among them are reservations for usernames that could be associated with celebrities or organizations, which is meant to make impersonation harder.
The company has also prepared a username key system. Under that setup, other users would still need a unique four-digit code in addition to the username before they can send a message.
WhatsApp further said it would not offer a public username directory. That approach is intended to reduce spam by preventing open searching through usernames in the same way users browse public account lists.
Even with those safeguards, Indian officials have not eased up. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, or MeitY, has asked Meta, Telegram, and Signal to explain the fraud risks tied to usernames.
Meta faces a short deadline
On Wednesday, Meta’s Chief Compliance Officer was given three days to respond with an explanation of the feature and why no regulatory action should be taken. By then, Meta had not yet answered the Indian authorities, while Signal and Telegram were also reported to have received similar requests.
At the center of the debate is a tension between privacy and abuse prevention. Usernames can help users avoid sharing phone numbers widely, but the same system can also be abused to create convincing fake identities.
What the change means for Arattai users
Arattai was launched in 2021 and drew renewed attention late last year as a local alternative to WhatsApp. Its username feature had been one of the service’s key selling points because it allowed people to interact without exposing their phone numbers.
Removing that option may reduce one of Arattai’s privacy advantages, but it also shows how quickly product decisions are being reshaped by the regulatory climate. The case suggests that messaging apps, whether global or local, are now being judged not only on convenience but also on how well they can limit fraud and impersonation.
For now, there is still no formal ban on usernames in India. What is clear is that app makers are being pushed to prove that identity features can be offered without opening a wider door to scams.
