WhatsApp go allow pipo chat wit usernames - Dis na how to reserve your own

WhatsApp don introduce new feature wey go allow pipo to chat wit usernames instead of revealing dia phone number.

In di next few months, di company go roll out dis feature to dia more dan three billion account holders over the next few months.

Dis week, users fit start to dey reserve dia username for di app, even though e no go dey compulsory. Pipo go still fit remove or change dia usernames at any time.

Once dem activate di feature fully, WhatsApp users go dey able to connect simply by exchanging usernames only. Dem go still get di options to block or report unwanted messages.

Names go dey limited to 35 characters and few restrictions go dey, only pipo wey get very high-profile for di society or celebrities go get dia usernames reserved so dat no oda pesin go fit use am.

So, for instance, e dey unlikely say for WhatsApp you go see plenty users wey dia username go be Donald Trump, for example.

Di Meta-owned firm described usernames as a privacy feature.

Alice Newton-Rex, wey be di head of product for WhatsApp tok say users bin don tell am say dem no always like to dey share dia phone numbers bifor pipo go fit contact dem, especially for group chats.

She say she hope say di feature go "give users control over how dem choose to show up" for di app.

How I fit reserve my username?

According to Meta, WhatsApp usernames go dey rolled out "gradually ova di coming months" and users go dey notified wen dia username dey activated.

Pipo wey wan reserve dia username for WhatsApp fit find am tru dia account or profile settings for di app.

Di option to click and reserve username go appear once e dey available, but you no go fit do am for WhatsApp Web or Desktop.

Di company tok say e go provide option for creators, small businesses and organisations to claim di username wey dem already dey use on top Instagram or Facebook, sake of consistency.

But any oda pesin wey wan match dia WhatsApp username to di ones dem dey use for any oda Meta apps, dem go need to link am to dia existing accounts on 'Accounts Centre'.

Dis go mean say some of your data go dey shared across multiple Meta accounts, such as Threads and Messenger.

Some pipo dey complain on social media say di option to reserve username neva appear for dem yet.

Di company don tell pipo to "make sure say you download di latest version of WhatsApp and den keep checking your app".

Privacy concerns

Signal, anoda secure messaging app bin introduce a similar feature in 2024.

"Na good feature, but even if e dey offer more privacy, rememba say WhatsApp no be be privacy-friendly app overall," according to Carisa Veliz, wey be professor for Oxford University and author of Privacy is Power.

"E dey collect plenty metadata about users for marketing purposes.

"We gatz remember say na Meta own WhatsApp, and Meta na one of di tech companies wey get di worst track records wen it come to privacy mata."

WhatsApp no dey use di content of private chats for advertising, bicos dose ones dey protected by end-to-end-encryption, meaning say di company diasef no even fit read di contents of messages.

But dem dey use data - like your general location, and basic account information like your age - to support advertising.

Once dem don roll out dis new feature fully, individual phone numbers no go dey visible again for WhatsApp.

Dem no go get any public username directory, and phone numbers go still dey required in oda to get WhatsApp account for di first time.

Some pipo don raise concern say usernames fit open di door to more scams ontop di Whatsapp platform.

Di company tell one X user wey ask about safeguards to protect users against scammers, say dem get "multiple layers of defense in place".

Dem tok say optional username keys - short numbered codes - fit dey added, wey go mean say pipo fit only contact you if dem get your username and di key.

Dem also add say dia systems dey "detect and block abuse patterns".

Di minimum age for using Whatsapp na 13 years, and messaging apps no dey included for di upcoming social media ban forpipo we neva reach 16 years old for di UK. dis ban go take effect from next year.

Recently, WhatsAppannounce say Kunal Shah, di founder of one Indian fintech start-up, go take ova as di head of di platform - as Will Cathcart go step down afta seven years for di role.