WhatsApp chats may soon feel more like Instagram, only with stronger privacy controls.
The Meta-owned platform is preparing to introduce usernames, letting users connect without sharing their phone numbers, making interactions more private and less intrusive.
The update marks a shift from the current system, where anyone with your phone number can contact you. WhatsApp, which says it has more than 3 billion users globally, has until now relied on phone numbers as the main way to connect.